Helping each other
by Devaki Faolan
Summary: They are partners, they can help each other through anything. Right?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I own nothing that is familiar.

He sat at the bar, empty shot glass in hand, his head down, trying to decide how much he could drink so that maybe he could pass out and get some sleep dead to the world with no nightmares. He tapped his glass on the bar signaling he wanted another.

She came through the door looking for someone. She walked through the crowd scanning faces. She spotted him at the bar, he was starting to drunkenly lean off his stool. She watched as he threw back another shot. She hurried over and caught him just as he started to fall off the stool.

"Alright there country mouse. You have had enough. Let's get you home." She told him as she steadied him on the stool while she paid his tab.

"Not near enough yet!" He slurred, "can't sleep yet won't black out..." he muttered to himself too loud though. She glanced at him worriedly.

She got him out to his truck where he promptly tried to get in and drive. "No sir, country mouse, you are not to going to drive. Get back on the other side of the cab."

"But you'll have to move everything and mess it all up. I just got it back to how I like it after last time." He grumbled then giggled to himself as she moved the seat all the way forward and as far up as she could get it. "So small." He reached over and patted her head. She rolled her eyes at him and put the truck in gear.

He slumped over and she realized he was close to passing out. "Hey hey none of that now. If you pass out I'll leave you in your truck. Won't be able to get you inside." She told him but it made no impact. "Lasalle!" She snapped, still nothing, "Christopher!" She nearly screamed at him as they were already getting close to his house.

"What's wrong city mouse? You never use my name unless I've really pissed you off."

"Don't pass out on me yet Bama, you need to at least help me walk you inside." She explained again as she pulled into his drive. She slammed the truck into park and jumped out and raced around to help him out before he fell out.

"I can do it," he complained letting her go and promptly tripped over nothing to sprawl out in the drive. He frowned and got to his hands and knees and started crawling towards the door. "Safer down here." He muttered to himself.

She ran ahead and unlocked the door, cringing as he looked up and she saw the damage his fall did to his face. Multiple little cuts were welling with blood and she could see bits of shells used for his drive imbedded in some places and she worried what he was doing to his hands and knees as he crawled slowly closer to her.

He got to the steps to the porch and hissed in pain the hard wood forcing the bits of shell deeper into his palms. She reached to help him up but he waived her off muttering "safer" again. He crawled inside, as soon as he crossed the threshold he started taking off his shirt, she had turned to lock the door behind them and when she turned back he was already sans shirt and working on his belt.

"Whoa there Lasalle, let's keep those on for a little while longer huh? How about we get you to bed?" She started trying to get him up again but he just crawled away towards his room.

She followed after quickly stopping in the bathroom for a cup of water, some aspirin, and the first aid kit. By the time she got to the room he was sitting against the side of the bed in just his boxers. She paused shocked but enjoying the view. Not sure if she was happy or sad he had left the boxers on. Then she notice the flask in his hand as he brought it up for a drink. She stole it just as he got it to his lips spilling a bit on his chest.

"You have had enough already are you trying to kill yourself?"

He put his chin on his chest and heaved a sigh, "that might make the nightmares stop, it might make the pain stop."

"Get in bed Christopher let me see your face and hands and knees I need to get you cleaned up. Take these and drink this whole glass." She ordered trying to keep the fear for him out of her voice and off her face. He wouldn't be able to handle that.

He laid silently as she dug out the shell in his face and hands and cleaned all of the cuts with alcohol. When she finished he pulled her down on the bed making her squeak. "Stay please I haven't been sleeping, maybe its because I got used to having someone else here with me?" He asked his voice pitiful. She noticed his eyes did look sunken now that he mentioned it.

"Just until you fall asleep, ok?"

He looked scared but said "thank you" and closed his eyes. Almost instantly his breathing evened out.

Her eyes widened and she poked him with no response. She worried though that with as drunk as he was he might puke and choke because he was laying on his back. So she moved in close to him and shoved him up on his side. He stayed there a moment and flopped right back on his back. This caused his mouth to open slightly and his snore shook the windows. She laughed shocked at the volume and intensity of it before shoving him to his side again. Again though his body wouldn't stay up on its own. So she did it one more time but this time spooning in behind him to keep his body on it's side. She had to reach around him then and close his mouth which ended the insane snoring.

She tried moving away but he started falling back to his back. She settled for rolling over so she was back to back with him and settled in to sleep. He had told her to stay at least.

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He woke slowly his mind groggy. He had to pry open his eyes as his mind panicked because he had his whole body wrapped around someone. It was a body he had never slept with before he was sure. Opening his eyes didn't help his panic. It was his partner, what was Sonja doing in his bed? He could feel she had clothes on that was good but he only had on boxers, where were his clothes?

He must have made a noise or moved because she stirred. She rolled over and faced him but her eyes were still closed. She snuggled down into his chest her face nuzzling him before her body settled back into stillness.

Percy was a snuggler! He almost laughed out loud but his mind was in turmoil. She felt so good in his arms and looked amazing even sleep rumpled. He tried to fall back asleep which for once in a long time wasn't hard. As he fell asleep he tilted his head down so it rested on top of hers.

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She woke startled that someone was wrapped around her. She didn't move because they seemed asleep and she didn't want to wake them as she felt safe, and when was the last time she had had that. Slowly she opened her eyes but all she could see was bare chest. She was confused for a second and then remembered Lasalle pulling her into bed and her worry about his drunken state.

Slowly she tried to slide out of his bed without waking him up. But he was wrapped around her and she couldn't get out of his grasp. All her struggles gained her was that she was now on her back but he was practically on top of her. She frowned starting to feel trapped and struggled to break free, old panic kicked in causing her breath to come in pants her eyes were really wide and cold sweat broke out all over her body.

He woke because of her thrashing beneath him. Again he was confused at first as to who he was in bed with. Until he saw her face which made him look around the room for an attacker before his gaze settled back on her face. He brought up his hands and forced her to look at him. "Hey, hey Sonja what is the matter?" He asked trying to keep his voice calm.

"Up, please let me up." She started saying and the panic being in full swing made her repeat herself a little manically until he moved enough that she could get up. She paced a second around his room before heading out the door. He could hear her pick up speed so he bolted after her not wanting her alone like this.

He caught her arm as she was about to open the door. She let out a squeak and struggled against him so he brought her into a tight hug making soothing noises and rocking slightly. "Come on Sonja tell me what's wrong, please?" His hands lightly massaged her back as he held her close. Not getting an answer he walked them to the couch and sat down with her in his lap.

"Can you talk to me Percy? I need you to tell me what's wrong."

"Trapped..." was all she could get out.

"Ok, if I let you go will that help? But you have to promise to not leave because like this you could cause an accident."

"Yes!" She answered and nearly catapulted off of him as soon as he loosened his arms. She began pacing through the living room, prowling like an angry cat.

"Would you like some tea? Would that help?" He asked still worried.

"Yes, thank you lasalle."

He left the room and she followed feeling slightly better now that she could move freely. But she felt safer with him which was strange since he had triggered the panic attack. He was her partner and the only man that she fully trusted with herself.

He started the water for her tea and got a pot of coffee going for him, he was going to need it today.

Slowly she was able to stop pacing. Her panic receding enough that she could see he was worried about her. She would have to explain something to him before he would let it go. It's not that she was ashamed of her past it was part of her but a part she had never shared before. She sighed before starting, "I'm sorry about this. Being trapped triggered a panic attack. It has been a long time since I have had one of those."

Finishing her tea he glanced up at her, but her face was turned away from him. He grabbed a mug of coffee and went back out to the living room. He sat himself on the couch and motioned for her to sit next to him knowing she had followed him back into this room.

"I'm not sure I can sit and talk about this. I know you well enough that you won't let it go until I've told it to you. So just sit there and listen. No questions please just let me get it out. This is not something I have ever spoken of with someone. So it might come out sorta jumbled alright?" She paused blowing out her breath and breathing back in slowly. "I don't trust easy, especially men. And one thing you need to know is panic attacks are not rational so even though you are one of the few men I have ever trusted you still triggered it. You didn't do anything wrong you were sleeping and just apparently happen to be a clingy snuggler. We started face to face. I was fine until I tried to slip out of bed. My pulling back pulled you on top of me and I couldn't get away. Being trapped on my back on the bed triggered the panic attack."

She blew out her breath again and did some deep breathing as she paced some more. "I..." she trailed of and started again, "I...I was raped when I was a teenager by my then boyfriend."

He got up and pulled her into a hug, making sure not too tight and holding her without crossing his arms behind her making her feel like she could pull away if she wanted. She stayed there a moment before pulling away and pacing again. He stood wishing he knew how to help her because she was tearing up and it was killing him to see.

"More than once, hell more times than I even remember as my mind blocked some of the worst ones out. I know they happened because I ended up in the hospital a few times and they told me I had been raped and beaten." She breathed out again, she glanced at him as she slowly drew in air again, "have I ever told you my dad is in jail? He killed him. When he saw me in the hospital the last time and they told him what happened he finally got me to tell him who had done it and he went nuts. Dad found him and asked him why he would do that to me. He told my dad I had liked it. That I had begged for more. He beat him to death bare handed for me. He is in jail for me. I have ptsd symptoms, though they are less now then they had been. Being trapped under you on the bed had me right back there being raped." Once she had that out she collapsed onto the couch. He was glad she didn't have her tea in hand when that happened. Knowing it would help her feel like herself he handed it to her then.

"I'm so sorry Sonja. I caused you to relive that, I would never have asked you to stay if I had known that I could cause this."

"Don't, it's not your fault it's his. You had no way to know I would react like that. Hell neither did I. I honestly haven't had a flashback or a panic attack in years. I learned how to defend myself, took all the self defense classes I could find determined to never be in that situation again. To never feel helpless with anyone ever again. It's why I started in our line of work. I can help people like I was, defend them when they can't defend themselves."

They sat in silence for a little while both lost in their own thoughts. His stomach growled and she laughed at him.

"Let's go get some breakfast,"


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I own nothing that is familiar.

"How about tonight we go out and have fun while you drink instead of the drinking alone and brooding routine?" She asked him as they finished breakfast. "Having to find your ass every night is getting a little bit old."

"I guess that depends on whatcha consider fun." He told her with a grin as he signaled for more coffee from the waitress.

"I don't know we could find some place with live music that's not hard around here. We could find some comedy to listen too, go dancing..."

"You gonna dance with me?" He asked interrupting her.

"Why not Lasalle it could be fun. Do you know how to dance?"

"I guess you will just have to wait and find out now wontcha." He smirked and winked at her and suddenly she was no longer sure this was a great idea.

They went their separate ways after making plans to go to the newest club in town. They were supposed to have a great house band that could play requests.

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Having woken very early Sonja decided she would go home and nap. She lay there for a long while. Her mind was reeling over everything she had told him. She couldn't believe that she told him about all of that. She hadn't even spoken to a counselor after it had happened.

She fell asleep fitfully and was engulfed in nightmares almost immediately. She nearly relived it backward her dad being handcuffed and dragged off to jail. The beatings and the rape. She awoke screaming and feeling worse than when she had gone to sleep.

Not wanting to try and sleep anymore she got up and made herself a cup of tea and then decided pampering herself might make her feel better so she called and got squeezed in for a hair cut and style and a mani pedi. She normally would have also liked a massage but the only opening they had was with a guy. The thought of any mans hands on her right then made her skin crawl.

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He looked around his house when he got home. Actually seeing it for the first time since Savannah died. He was horrified and kind of proud of Percy that she didn't poke fun at his clothes everywhere and dishes piling up on any and all flat surfaces. His mail just in a pile inside the front door. He could not remember if he had paid any of his bills.

He started with laundry and laughed to himself when he found at least one pair of boxers in every single room of his house. Once the first load was started and he had gathered the rest to wait for a second load he started on dishes. Loading as much as he could into the dishwasher before hand washing the rest.

When gathering laundry he noticed how truly awful his bathroom was and since Percy had been over he wanted to do that next since she may need to use it if she came over again.

He couldn't keep his mind off her. He knew her to be tough as nails and could kick men's asses that were nearly double her weight. He couldn't imagine her being beaten or raped. She was so strong to have lived through it and made her life thrive afterwards. He wondered how she felt about what her dad had done, if she ever visited him. He had never heard her mention him before.

He couldn't sit still after cleaning the bathroom and throwing in the second load of laundry so he decided to leave the mail for another time. He went for a run, when that wasn't enough he went to the gym. He spent a long while working the heavy bag. All he could do was imagine the bag was the asshole that had hurt her.

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She dressed in a pair of tight dark jeans that hugged her ass and a sleeveless flowy navy top. She wore black heals but not too high knowing she was going to be dancing but also that she was going to be dancing with Chris and he was much taller than she was. She didn't put on much makeup. Who was she trying to impress it was just Lasalle and she would just sweat through it dancing anyway. She added her hoop earrings and a few bangles and she was done just as she heard a knock at her door.

She opened the door a smile on her face, excited for their night out.

"Well hello there pretty lady." He drawled at her.

He had on boots and nice jeans and a black Henley shirt with only one button done showing off a good portion of his tanned chest.

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They each ordered a drink once they got inside the club, she got an Alabama slammer and he got a double shot of whiskey giving her a raised eyebrow.

"What it's my drink, they are amazing."

Smirking he said, "yeah we are."

Once served and starting a tab for them she pulled him out on the dance floor with her. It was a line dance at the moment but that just gave them time to drink a little and get used to dancing together without actually dancing together. By the time the next song came on with a fast beat they were fully into dancing without making it awkward since it was each other.

She only had the one drink knowing he would want to drink more and one of them would need to drive them home. He drank more but she didn't think near as much as he had previous nights where she had driven him home.

They hadn't danced to any of the slow songs. Always managing to need new drinks or to go to the bathroom. All except the last song. They were stiff at first but relaxed against each other until she rested her head on his chest her arms wrapped around his waist and his around hers.

When the song was over he gave her a little squeeze asking, "ready to head out city mouse?" She just nodded in response.

She drove them to his house and went inside with him though tonight he didn't need the help he had been needing.

"I know it's late but I don't really want to sleep yet, would you stay and watch a movie with me?" He asked once they were inside. He didn't look at her when he asked afraid she would see the fear of sleeping in his eyes. He hadn't drank near enough to pass out tonight and he was just plain afraid of the nightmares that would come.

"Sure, which one were you thinking?" She looked away from him towards the giant tv he had when she answered not wanting him to see her relief. After earlier today she was terrified of sleeping. It had been years since she had nightmares about her past and she knew how bad they could get. No way was she ready to try sleep yet.

"Hmm, what is your favorite genre?" He asked not wanting to just pick for them. He wanted her to want to stay and watch the movie with him. "I have Netflix let's see what they have."

"I vote for stand up comedy, I could use a laugh." She answered taking off her heals and walking over to the couch.

"You like standup huh? You offered that as a thing we could do that was fun tonight." He said as he followed her grabbing remotes and taking off his own shoes as he went.

"Yeah, with our jobs we don't always get enough laughter. Do you care if I make tea while you get this setup?" She asked finally turning and looking at him.

"Go ahead, grab me a beer while you are in there would ya? So who does your favorite standup?" He asked watching her walk away instead of setting up the tv.

"I think I would have to say Robin Williams, it's so sad he passed away. He was a truly funny person, brought a lot of joy and laughter to a lot of people." She answered while heating water for her tea.

"I don't think I have ever seen his standup, just him in different movies. What to watch his standup?" He asked finally working on the tv, not finding it on Netflix he switched to YouTube and found it.

"Sure." She said as she came back into the room.

He was sitting on one side of the couch she handed him the beer and sat down across the couch from him. She pulled her feet up next to her and frowned.

"What's with the frown?" He asked before hitting play.

"These jeans are not the most comfortable to relax in." She admitted.

"I have a clean pair of sweats and a big t-shirt if you want to get comfortable?" He offered, "that actually doesn't sound bad for me either."

She thought about it not sure she was comfortable wearing his clothes but she wasn't going to be relaxed in her own so finally she asked, "they have been washed right? Cause yesterday by the look of your house you didn't have any clean clothes left to your name."

"I did laundry today thank you very much. And dishes." He laughed, "if you had said that about dishes you might have been right but I think I still had a day or two more clothes left."

She followed him to his room and took the offered clothes. The shirt was so soft and well worn it had to be one he wore all the time. "Of course you give me a bama shirt." She laughed teasing him before heading to the bathroom to change.

"Are there any other kind?" He asked.

She turned to answer and nearly yelped. "What are you doing?" He had his shirt off and his jeans mostly off.

"Changing... what's wrong with that?"

"You couldn't have waited until I was in the bathroom?"

"You had turned away and you saw everything yesterday that was going to happen today." He shrugged.

She rolled her eyes and walked away. Only remembering when she got into the bathroom that the shirt she had on didn't allow for a bra, it had support built into the design.

She must have mentally debated her options too long because he knocked startling her and asked "you alright in there?"

"Yep be out in a sec." she decided oh well it was just Chris. And she would have a shirt on, besides having a bra on would have sucked for relaxing.

She walked back into the living room but paused in the doorway shocked a second that he had forgone a shirt and was sitting there only in and old pair of sweats. He had made popcorn while he waited for her to change and was sitting there munching on it.

He turned to yell for her to hurry up, cause honestly how long did it take to change into sweats? He caught her staring and smirked. "Like what you see?"

"Oh please, I was just wondering if you had really done laundry or if you just gave me your last clean shirt."

"I'd offer to let you look through my dresser but I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to find some of the non-clothing items that might be in there." He teased, "come on let's watch the show." He said patting the couch next to him.

She sat next to him stealing the popcorn bowl as she did. She sat stiffly at first not quite sure what to do about his shirtlessness. As it progressed they laughed so hard the stiffness they had sitting that close faded. She was snuggled into his side the popcorn bowl in her lap and his arm was around her shoulders holding her close.

They started Mrs. Doubtfire next sticking with Robin Williams. He put out the recliner part of his section of the couch getting more comfortable. He also set aside the empty popcorn bowl and her tea mug. She stayed snuggled against him despite no longer having the popcorn to share.

Not long after the start of the movie. Her head started to slide down his chest. Realizing she was asleep he quietly stopped the movie, turned off the tv, and closed the recliner. He was trying not to wake her knowing she didn't get much sleep last night and it was already very late. Gently he picked her up and carried her to his room. Holding her with one arm he pulled down the covers and tucked her in.

Not sure he was ready for sleep yet he went back out to the kitchen and grabbed another beer. He had lost most of his buzz watching Robin Williams and he was not sure he could sleep at all without nightmares. Before he could take the first drink though he heard a sound of distress from the bedroom.

Quickly he was back in there the beer forgotten. She was thrashing on the bed her face pained. He pulled back the covers and got in pulling her into his arms. "Shh shh Sonja you are safe with me. I've got you and no one will get past me to get to you not unless you tell me you want them to." He murmured softly into her ear.

Slowly she calmed. She rolled to face him in her sleep curling in close to him. Again her face nuzzled his chest before she settled back into stillness. He held her a long time before drifting to sleep as well.

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He was shocked when he woke the next morning and he hadn't had a single nightmare. It was the first time since Savannah died that he had done so without being black out drunk.

He could feel her molded against his body and it was morning and he was a guy. Not wanting to be rude he shifted back from her but she followed him snuggled tight against him. He had to settle for the awkward position of just moving his hips away from her.

Realizing he had to pee though he broke free of her snuggle and went to use the bathroom. When he was done and came back into the room her pained expression was back and she made a frightened noise. He climbed back into the bed and pulled her close to him again.

"Hey now Sonja none of that. You are safe here with me remember. Nothing gets through me to you." He whispered in her ear. Again she slowly calmed in her sleep. He sat up against the headboard and pulled a pillow over his lap and let her curl over his legs still sleeping. He stroked her hair and watched her sleep. Without realizing it he was actually guarding her as she slept.

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She woke to find her head in his lap, his hand tangled in her hair and him asleep sitting up against the headboard. Wondering why he had done that she slipped out of the bed and padded to the bathroom. She washed her face while she was in there and hunted up his toothpaste and used her finger to do the best she could.

She headed to the kitchen to see what he had to make them for breakfast. Before she could get there though she heard him moan. Worried because he had mentioned nightmares in his drunken state she went back to the bedroom. She found him slumped over his arms reaching out toward nothing. Tears leaking down his face.

She crawled in next to him and ran her hands down his side. "Hush now country mouse. She's gone but you'll make it through this pain. You won't forget and the pain won't go away. It just gets easier to live with. You'll see, you'll start having more fun nights like last night and less like I have been finding you in before that. She's a part of you and you won't stop loving her but you will move on and find someone new and that's ok. She would want you to be happy." She kept talking her tone soothing, not realizing he had woken up and was listening to her.

"Thank you Sonja." He said quietly as he wiped the tears off his face. "You have been so caring making sure I got home ok each night. Last night helping me have fun for the first time in weeks. Hell I was laughing and smiling again for the first time last night. You stayed the last couple of nights and kept me from having nightmares." He shook his head not knowing how to express to her all she had done for him and what it meant to him.

She gave his shoulder a squeeze, "come on bama lets go see what you have to eat." She said pulling away, not sure how to respond.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I own nothing that is familiar.

They ended up going out because he didn't have anything she could eat as a vegan.

After breakfast he asked if she would go with him to Savannah's grave. He liked to go every Sunday just to talk to her and leave flowers. But he usually ended up drinking heavily afterwards and Percy seemed to help him not have to do that.

They walked side by side through the cemetery not talking. Both letting their minds wander over the last few days. They were wondering if the could sleep without the other one or if the nightmares would come back. He started to slow but she kept going giving him a little privacy. She looked over the tombs near her for something to do. They were in one of the older more elaborate cemeteries. The designs of the tombs were intricate here and gave her plenty to do while Chris talked to Savannah's tomb.

"Hey savannah," he started. "I wanted to tell you that I have started drinking less. I found a way to sleep without the nightmares, but I'm not sure you would like it. Sonja has slept over the last couple of nights. Nothing happened though we just slept. I think that it is helping with not just my nightmares but hers too. She opened up to me about her past, and I think that triggered her own nightmares. I feel awful for that, but I think it helps to know that she made it through her past I can make it through this. I still love you. I still miss you like hell. But I can finally see that I'm still here and I need to start living again or I'll follow you to where you have gone."

He didn't notice the tears that had fallen until he had stood there quietly for a long time and Percy came over and offered him a tissue. He took it and once finished wiping off his face pulled her into a tight hug. "Thank you." He kissed the top of her head before turning and walking out of the cemetery taking her hand in his.

They went shopping each with their own list. She noticed that he would grab a few of the items she had and put them in his own cart. "What are you going to do with non-dairy milk?" She asked

"Have something for you to eat cereal with in the morning." He answered, waving a hand toward the cereal that he had also snagged. It was the same as she had bought herself.

Not sure how to answer him since he basically implied she was just going to keep staying with him. She started down another isle.

Later he dropped her off at her apartment and helped her carry her groceries upstairs.

"So what can we do for fun on a Sunday night?" He asked. "Keeping in mind that we have to work tomorrow." He added.

"Movie night?" She offered. "Let me gather some things for tomorrow."

"Planning on staying over?" He asked with a grin.

"I came home yesterday and without much sleep the night before I tried to nap. I woke up from my nightmares screaming. I can't go back to reliving that night after night. I slept great last night and besides this morning I think you did too. Maybe we can help each other through it until we feel safer to try and sleep alone again?" She told him ashamed at her own fear so while she talked she packed a few things and did not even look in his direction.

"Hey come here a second, look at me. You are not the only one here having a problem with nightmares. Hell it is probably my fault that you are back to having them. I caused your panic attack and you told me about your past. Hell I asked you to stay the first night and for the first time since Savannah died I didn't have a nightmare." He pulled her into a hug resting his head on hers. "It is ok to lean on someone for support. You showed me that by being there for me these past few weeks."

"What about work? If we come in together they are going to get the wrong idea."

"We can tell them the truth, that you have been finding me and driving me home at night from different bars and staying to make sure I'm alright. They will understand since I have been so depressed lately."

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The team did understand and didn't ask about it again despite him starting to act more himself and less depressed. They were smiling more together and laughing again. Back to teasing each other and arguing like they always had.

Weeks went by and she had taken over a drawer in his dresser. And a small section of his closet. Her work bag now lived in his truck most nights.

One night they went dancing again no longer stiff with each other at all. While she was off getting another drink he started dancing with someone else.

"I thought you were with that short girl?" The new girl asked, "y'all looked cozy."

He laughed, "Percy? Nah she is my work partner. She wanted to go out but doesn't like to go alone. Besides, see that." He motioned with his head at the bar. "He has been eyeing her up for a few songs, I wanted to make sure she knew she could dance with whoever she wanted to and I would still be here for her." There was a guy chatting up Sonja at the bar. It made Chris feel protective but he knew that she wouldn't like him butting in.

"That is amazingly sweet of you." She nearly purred, wanting to come on to him now that she knew he wasn't attached to someone.

Sonja agreed to dance with the guy she was talking to but only because she could see some blonde crawling all over Chris. It made her mad to see it but he deserved the chance to find someone new if he wanted.

She traded dance partners a few times before finding someone she liked. Apparently Chris didn't have the same problem she noticed he just kept dancing with the blonde from earlier and she kept being more and more aggressive about it, grinding all over him. Not that he looked put out, very into dancing with her too. She had to force herself to concentrate on her own dance partner. He was cute and holding her close politely keeping his hands where she put them after the first and only time they had strayed to her butt.

"Do you want to get out of here?" Her dance partner asked.

"Let me just check with my work partner. I think he's good but I made him come out with me so let me make sure he's not being drowned in too many women that he might need a rescue before I leave him to the sharks." She yelled back over the music and took his hand weaving through the crowd toward Chris and the blonde.

"Hey, you good. I'm going to take off with my new friend here." She asked when she got to them and got his attention.

His eyes flashed some emotion too fast for her to read but he simply answered. "Sure, we might head out too?" He directed that part more as a question to his dance partner. Who smiled hugely and nodded.

XXXXXX

Percy followed Brent she learned was his name towards his place. He gave her a drink and settled them on the couch talking for now. He leaned in for a kiss an arm on either side of her and panic set in. She slid out of his reach and started pacing. "I'm sorry I am going through some stuff. I had thought I was doing better or I would have never come home with you. I'm sorry it really is my issue. It's why I brought Chris out with me instead of girlfriends. He always has my back. Makes sure I'm safe." She was rambling and as soon as she noticed she stopped talking.

She grabbed her purse and heals and bolted before he could say anything in response. She had had too much to drive and she didn't have her car anyway so she called for a cab. When it got there she gave Chris's address instead of her own and didn't realize it until the cab pulled up out front of his house. He wasn't home yet, could she stay even if he never came home. What if he didn't come home tonight? Would she be able to sleep?

She walked up his front stairs after paying the cab and sat down to think about it before just going in. Despite the last few weeks she didn't live here.

He walked up a few minutes later having left his truck at the club. He found her crying on his steps.

"Sonja, what happened?!" He asked running over to her.

"Nothing, god nothing happened. He leaned in to kiss me and I panicked like I did with you a while ago. I was trapped on the couch and panicked."

He gathered her up into his arms and took her inside. He sat on the couch with her in his lap. He made sure not to make her feel like he was trapping her there his arms not holding her to him. instead he rubbed her back and arms letting her cry into his shirt.

She got herself under control but wasn't ready to talk more about her so she asked. "So what happened with the blonde? She looked ready to eat you up." She kept her head laying on his chest listening to his steady heartbeat.

"Oh she was, I guess I just wasn't ready. I walked her home and turned down the offered coffee." He answered.

They sat in silence for a while before she burst out with, "What I don't get is I was fine dancing with this guy, fine walking home with him. But then he goes to kiss me and bam straight into panic mode. Why can't I just be normal? I mean he was hot, what girl that went home with that would almost run screaming from an attempted kiss?"

He had to hold back his smile at her arms gesturing wildly. She only did that when she was drunk or so mad she forgot herself. He knew she was buzzed and that she wasn't that upset. It was her first try after the panic attack he caused and he knew she had been worried that something like this would happen.

"You are normal Sonja. You just don't know this guy. You had no level of trust with him. Maybe you should try dating and getting to know someone before trying to go home with him."

"Hell Chris I don't remember the last time I dated anyone like that. I just don't have time in my life for something serious. Our work pops up at all hours and so often runs late, who wants to put up with that. It means random cancelations and then worrying about you every time you are at work."

He shrugged, "I'm not sure how else you will gain enough trust in someone to be vulnerable enough to sleep with them then. You could try talking to someone online and meeting them. That way at least you have talked to them for a while before you meet."

She pulled away and made a face at him, "online dating? Not sure I could do that..."

"You could always have Patton look into them and make sure they aren't somebody with a rap sheet or a crazy." He tried to add helpfully.

She snorted, "and have Patton know I'm trying to date someone online. Yeah right the whole team would know in half an hour. What about you. You going to see the blonde again?"

"Nah, she was pissed I danced with her most of the night and walked her home but wouldn't come up. That's called being a gentleman and if it pisses her off most of how I act will piss her off." He slid them down so they were laying on the couch. Her mostly on top of him leaned against the back of the couch with his back along the edge of the cushions. She could get up if she wanted to but they were still snuggled close. He laid his head on top of hers and closed his eyes still trailing his hand over her arm and side lazily.

He woke to ringing early the next morning. He reached for the end table and grabbed the offending phone. He barked at it, "Lasalle!"

"Who the hell are you?" The voice barked back.

"You called me, not the other way around." He growled back.

"No sir I called my daughter, so I repeat who the hell are you!"

Hearing that last Sonja snatched the phone from Chris. "Hi daddy I forgot what day it was." She paused listening. "I work with him daddy and he has been going through a rough time his girlfriend died. We fell asleep talking on the couch last night nothing happened." She paused listening again, "daddy he is a good guy we have been partners at work for about a year and a half now. No he hasn't ever come on to me. I told you what happened. No I am not putting him back on the phone so you can threaten him. Yes he knows where you are and why." She was pacing smiling about talking to her father but had a slight crease to her forehead showing she was worried about something.

Chris watched her pace for a few minutes before getting up and heading to the kitchen to make them breakfast. He made tea first, starting his coffee at the same time. He walked her out her mug of tea and smirking at her before kissing her cheek loudly and saying, "here is your tea baby." Before high tailing it out of the living room only taking time to register the shock on her face. He could hear the yelling coming from the other end of the phone as he turned the corner into the kitchen.

She charged after him saying, "hang on daddy I have to go kill him for teasing you. No we are not seeing each other."

Chris took the phone as she came into the kitchen. "Here I'll explain to him that I'm an ass and pulled a mean joke. Drink your tea and relax." He walked outside with the phone and paced slowly in the courtyard.

XXXXXX

"I'm sorry sir, I have an evil sense of humor. I care about your daughter a lot, but honestly I don't think either one of us is ready for a relationship. She wasn't lying my girlfriend died recently and she has been helping me deal with that. Nothing has happened between us. Yeah we have spent some nights together but fully dressed and mostly just to stop each other from having nightmares..."

"Sonja is having nightmares again? She had stopped having those years ago." Her father interrupted.

"Yeah, I'm afraid it's my fault." He said shame in his voice. "The first time she stayed over night with me. I'm a snuggler in my sleep, she woke up with me right there and tried to get out of bed. Ended up pulling me with her, that caused me to be mostly on top of her and she had a panic attack. When she calmed down she explained why she had such a reaction and since then if she sleeps alone she has nightmares. Please believe me that if I had known I could have caused this for her I would have never asked her to stay with me."

"Why did you ask her to stay with you?"

Chris smiled sadly before saying. "It had been weeks since Savannah died. Each night Sonja would find me at whatever bar I had ended up at that night and get me home and in bed making sure I take aspirin and drink a whole glass of water. I was drinking because I was trying to black out and not have nightmares. I thought at the time that I asked out of desperation for peaceful sleep. I told her it was because I thought I had gotten used to sleeping with someone and maybe sleeping with someone would keep the nightmares at bay. I think she believed me with that because I had been talking instead of thinking while I was drunk and had muttered something about nightmares. But I have come to realize that she makes me feel safe. Knowing she can handle herself if she was attacked like Savannah was. That she could defend herself that she would pull through. That she has the same job as me and it would not have to have been my job that got her killed."

"Your job got your girlfriend killed?!" He demanded

"Yeah it did. But Savannah wasn't like Sonja. Sonja would kick the crap out of anyone that came after her. And then give them hell until they cried uncle."

"So I understand why you think you aren't ready for a relationship, but why do you think my Sonja isn't?" Her father asked showing he was paying very close attention to everything Chris said.

"Last night for example she tried to go home with a guy, ended up having a panic attack and came back to my house and nearly cried herself to sleep."

"I heard you say that you like that Sonja can handle herself. You said you care about her is that the only reason you care about her?"

Chris chuckled, "No sir, once she lets you in she is the most caring person I have ever met. She can be prickly but I like that too. She makes me laugh and keeps me sane at work when I need it. She has been the best thing going for me in months. The rest of the team is trying to be supportive but they seem to be waiting for me to ask for help. Sonja just gave the help. She didn't even have to ask what I needed to get it done either."

"You sound like you truly care about her."

"Of course I do sir, she is my partner. I have cared for her almost since the first day. I guess I just realized recently that it has grown. My problem is I have no idea what she feels about me."

"Boy, you know where I am right?" When Chris agreed he continued, "come see me sometime soon. I'd like to have a face to face conversation with you. But to help you out in the mean time. Keep in mind that you drive away her nightmares too, and she can sleep and snuggle with you but not even kiss some other guy."

XXXXXX

Sonja watched Chris pace. She bit down on a finger nail, trying to figure out what they could possibly be talking about for so long. He kept his back to her, but at least once she saw his shoulders hunch like he was either saying something painful or hearing it.

She debated going out there after him, but she knew her dad wouldn't let it go until he had said what he wanted to say. It was easier to not interrupt them and just let it happen. She noticed him turn to come back in and hurried to grab her tea and sit at the table like she hadn't been watching.

"Here is your father back. I'll get started on some breakfast." He told her and before he gave her the phone kissed her cheek again.

She gave him a puzzled look while she took the phone. "Hey daddy." She said brightly.

"So tell me about this Lasalle guy?" He demanded, wanting to see that she cared for him as much as he had made it sound.

It was her turn to head outside with the phone and pace.

"What do you want to know daddy?" She asked cautious of why he wanted to know.

"Is he a good man? Does he care for his family? Does he care for the team? How do you think he is doing with his mental health after his girlfriends death? What do you think of him?"

"Yes, of course he is a good man. His older brother comes around sometimes, they have a great relationship, Chris takes care of Cade when Cade is in town, he talks to the rest of his family at least once a week. I think he has finally turned a corner. I haven't found him brooding in a week or two. He smiles and laughs again. I think he is extremely caring. That he can be an ass but usually he is trying to be funny, and his smirk gives him away and makes me laugh. Why do you ask daddy?"

"He told me about what happened last night and that you two have been helping each other lately I just want to make sure that the man almost living with my daughter is a good man. I'm sorry we didn't get to talk very long today baby girl. You should come visit me soon. I miss you."

"I'll try daddy, I'll have to see what happens with our work schedule this weekend ok?"

"Ok baby girl. I'll be here waiting. Oh and next time a man answers your phone like that before coming to talk to me about his intentions I may just have to do more than talk to him."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I own nothing that is familiar. Sorry for the delay. I rewrote this chapter a few times.

Not wanting to keep her father waiting. knowing what he had done to the guy that raped her, chris went and visited him the next day. He told pride and Sonja his mother had called and needed help with something.

"So tell me boy to my face why you were with my daughter so early in the morning and answered her phone." Percy's father demanded the second chris was in the room with him.

"We work together, we are partners. I care about Sonja. For the last few months she has been taking care of me. My girlfriend died because a suspect in a case wanted me to pay for taking down their crime ring. She would find me where ever I was drinking and make sure I got home safe. She would force feed me aspirin and a glass of water before leaving. That changed a little while ago instead of letting her leave one night I asked her to stay. I needed human contact that wasn't some stranger. It helped. I didn't have nightmares for the first time since Savannah died." He took a breath and looked away for a minute thinking.

"Come on the rest of it. I already know what you said on the phone..."

"Yeah but telling you that I caused a panic attack by sleeping with her, when you killed the guy that raped her didn't sound like a good idea." Chris responded looking back at him. Chris continued to tell him the rest of what had happened up to the point of him answering her phone.

"I felt like I was taking all of her time and I wanted to let her know I was doing better that she could date if she wanted to and not worry that I would revert back to black out drinking. The girl I had danced with was pissed when I walked her home and left her alone, not even going inside. I guess I caused this panic attack too. By encouraging her to go out. I found her crying on my stoop. I honestly don't know why she hadn't gone inside. She has a key. We each have all our team members keys in case of emergency. My mind raced to the worst I thought it had happened again and as I carried her inside I was mentally kicking myself for letting her go home with some guy. When she calmed down she explained that they had just been sitting on the couch and he had leaned over to kiss her. He apparently boxed her in and she had another panic attack and bolted. We fell asleep as I held her trying to be comforting on the couch. The phone rang and here I am."

"If you care so much why did you choose to dance with someone else?"

"I know I am not ready for a relationship, and while I could see us dating because I care about her. I don't think Sonja being the first person I try and date after Savannah is a good idea for us."

"Are you going to keep sleeping with my daughter then?"

"As long as she needs me to. I'm not the only one with nightmares. And I think after last night she might need the help for a little while still. I'm going to encourage her to see a counselor about what happened. She told me she never has and that I was the only person she told about what happened. Then talking about it or maybe the panic attack caused the nightmares. If it's the talking, having someone help her work through everything will help. Hell I'll probably want to start seeing one too."

Her father nodded before saying, "I aught to kick your ass for causing her pain. But as I'm in here I can't do that. Keep in mind that if you hurt her or cause her physical pain that I'm already serving a life sentence I have no problem breaking out to get to you. What can they do add more years to my sentence?"

Chris shook his head. "No need to say it out loud for the cameras sir. I was very aware of that being a possibility based on your past. I am trying to do my best here for both of us. I would never intentionally harm her." Chris stood then and signaled that he was ready to leave.

He left and caught a flight to visit his mother not wanting to lie about having seen her. She met him at the airport, her arms wide open for a hug the second she saw him.

"My baby!" She all but yelled holding him tight and doing a happy dance making him bounce around with her.

"Ah come on mom." He fake whined as she kissed his face all over.

"You hush now. I hardly ever get to see you!" She scolded as she led him out of the airport.

As he drove them back to her house in her car she asked him. "How have you been doing?"

"Better I think. I don't think I'll ever stop loving her or that I'll ever forget her but I have started having fun again. My team has been taking really good care of me. They made sure I got home safe when I was out drinking. Made me start going out for fun instead of just to drink too." He was smiling softly.

"Tell me about her." She ordered.

"Who?" He asked glancing away from the road at her for a moment.

"The woman that put that look on your face."

"What look, and who says there is any woman?" He asked being stubborn not sure after talking with her father this morning that he wanted to talk to his mother too.

"Oh see now I know there is a woman. Stop avoiding the question Christopher. You had this tender look like you were remembering something you really loved. And then you got all angry at being asked about it."

He shook his head. His mother knew him better than anyone else. "I work with her and she has been the biggest part of me starting to feel better." He told her what had happened over the last few months.

She just nodded when he got to coming to see her after meeting her father. "You didn't want to lie to the girl but didn't want to tell her about seeing her father. You care about her don't you? How does she feel about you?"

"Yeah I do, but I don't know that I'm ready for a relationship. I don't think she feels the same. I'm more of a security blanket to her." His face was set in a frown then as he drove. "Tell me about you, Cade, and sis."

"Nothing much has changed with me, just worrying about my kids. Cade has been doing good staying on his meds. He has been working at the store and doing really well. I haven't seen your sister in a while. last we talked she was in New York. She had a part in some show. But she was still working her other jobs too, so it couldn't have been a big part like she has been trying for."

Chris did some fixing around the house. Yard work, a few loose shingles, a squeaky hinge, a sticking drawer and such. It was late when he was done. He sent a text to pride and Sonja letting them know he was staying and would catch the first flight home.

XXXXXX

Sonja was shocked to see his text that night. She was already at his house. They hadn't slept without one another in a long time. She was scared but didn't want to tell him that. Not feeling right staying at his place without him she went home to try and sleep.

They both slept fitfully, but without nightmares. They both woke reaching for the other and finding only cold sheets. Chris groaned wanting her beside him always. Sonja snapped her eyes open and scrambled out of bed not knowing what to do about what she just did or how she was feeling.

XXXXXX

She went to Chris's and moved her stuff home. She kept the shirt and sweats he had given her that first night. She was a couple of minutes late to work but no one seemed to notice. They were all drinking their coffee and going through their assigned tasks with the current case. She got herself coffee and followed suit. She had to force herself not to look up when chris came in later that morning. He frowned at her but went straight to work.

XXXXXX

They fell back into being partners and only hanging out after work with the team. Neither bringing up them almost living together nor that she moved home when he was gone. Pride wondered watching them what happened but it didn't seem to effect their work. They seemed to be working even better together. When chris showed up to the second line he thought whatever was going on might have gotten better. They spent it talking about the traditions and they were both smiling and laughing by the end. But the next day at work they were back to how they had been, like they had hit a wall and didn't know how to get past it.

After she found out that chris was nearly shot Sonja blew up at him. Chris not seeing the big deal blew off her concerns and now they were sniping at each other but still getting there work done.

When they were on the dock getting ready to board the tug rigged to explode. chris tried to go in her place, she fought him about it. She had the bomb training not him. This was her job too, she could take the risks too. When pride shut him down about getting on the tug he went. but not happily his woman was getting on a death trap.

Chris wasn't sure when he had decided that she was his woman, but he had started thinking about her that way. His heart was in his throat and he could barely breathe. He got on his boat and did his best to keep her safe. When they were counting down, she hadn't defused the bomb, and wouldn't get off the boat, he saw everything they could have had. if only he had gone after her like his mom had told him. When she called out last second that she got it he could have cried. but to keep her safe he had to get them to call off the strike on the boat. Sonja had heard the panic for her in his voice, but she couldn't listen to his fear while she was trying to work. she had shut it out.

They were the last ones at work, pride had just left for his bar. And Brody for the beach. Chris told her that they were on administrative leave and she started just bolting out the door.

"You just gonna leave?" He asked frowning at her. "I thought out would want to talk..."

"work husband means at work."

"You almost died yesterday..."

"And you almost died a few weeks ago but we lived. I go now."

"Did I offend you somehow?"

"No, but you need to stop worrying about me."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He prowled closer to her anger on his face.

"It means don't treat me different than everyone else. It especially means don't try and stop me from taking dangerous jobs." She got up in his face her own anger matching his. "Don't get soft on me."

"I'm not soft. I care about you, you idiot!"

"Well stop cause I can't take it on." She tried to turn away but he grabbed her arm and pulled her into a hug. He thought about kissing her.

She looked shocked and pulled away shrugging him off.

XXXXXX

When Brody didn't come back they had an argument. They had a series of tense moments until they both reached for water while in the truck causing him to almost hold her hand. They had another argument about needing to talk. She said that they needed to end the weirdness between them. They did better then, more like partners again. He began working more with Gregorio. One day he came back into the office looking like someone had pulled the rug out from under him. Worried she had asked if he was ok. He just nodded and mumbled.

Then chris began avoiding her. She wasn't sure she could take that because she knew Gregorio knew what was up with him. What could he tell Gregorio that he couldn't tell her? They were partners...

He was walking around like a zombie. And his phone, she was about ready to break the damn thing just to get some peace. When he finally started to answer it he was secretive and it happened a lot. Pride was getting irritated with him. When pride relaxed she knew he had told him too. Why wouldn't he tell her.

Pride called her that they had a case, and that he couldn't get ahold of Lasalle. she said she would swing by his place and pick him up.

Getting there she banged on the door yelling for him to hurry up. She was shocked when some chick came out of the kitchen. And then chris came in from the deck holding a kid. She was so shocked she was speechless.

When he looked up and saw her he winced. "Percy what are you doing here?"

"Pride called, we have a case. He couldn't get ahold of you. I said I would swing by and pick you up."

"You have questions?" He asked handing tucker to melody.

"So many..."

When the girl proclaimed the kids Chris's Sonja had to fight off fainting. She went outside to wait for him and he tried to race after her but melody grabbed his arm and kissed him, just as Percy turned back. Fuming she got in the truck. Despite him trying to talk to her in the truck she couldn't bring herself to talk to him. She was so mad anything that would come out would be emotional and she wasn't giving him that. When they got to the crime scene he was still trying to get her to talk to him.

"You know what's the worst? That you told Gregorio and pride before me. We are supposed to be partners." She told him storming off to find pride. Wondering if she should ask him to keep them apart for a little while.

Later he was trying to talk to her, "I thought you would be disappointed in me..."

"We are friends right, I would have been supportive." She snapped.

Turns out she didn't have to ask pride to keep them apart much after that. She wondered if chris had. he started working more with Gregorio. They were in the office together though when some dude came in and punched chris. Screaming at him that tucker was his and to stay away from his family. She tackled him and was in the process of trying to cuff him when chris told her to let him go. She looked at him shocked.

"If it was me in his place I'd have done the same thing." It was then she notice melody was there to. Shaking her head she let the guy go as asked.

She got a call from her mom. Talked to pride letting him know she had to go help her out. She packed and was gone that night. She spent the whole time at her moms thinking about chris. wanting to kick his ass for making her care about him.

When her step father died she let out a sigh of relief. But held her mom while she cried. She couldn't bring herself to feel anything about the man that had died and her mom was crying over. She wondered why her mom was crying. She should be relieved too, he couldn't hit her anymore. She flew home the next week having stayed and helped her mom start going through the affairs that need tending to after a death.

She was shocked to see chris waiting for her. She had heard from pride that he had arrested the guy that punched him and melody had left taking tucker. She was surprised that it was chris. She knew that someone was going to pick her up and after everything she wasn't sure why chris would be the one.

When he opened the door and asked after her step father she knew she would have to tell him. She saw a small giraffe wedged into the seat, pulled it out and showed it to him. He looked sad so she got in telling him that her step father had died. When he asked if she wanted to talk about it. she rolled her eyes and said just about as much as he would want to talk about the giraffe.

Things between them settled somewhat and then Elvis came back and his protégée spammed them with emails from each other. The whole team was at each other's throats. When Percy saw the email from Gregorio saying she thought her and chris were sleeping together she said out loud how that was never happening. But her brain wouldn't let go of the image of him in just his boxers. Hell they had been sleeping together, just not how she thought, and before they had met her.

When Percy said how disgusting it would be to sleep with him chris was crushed. He finally felt like they were back to treating each other normally and he was debating asking her out but obviously not.

At the end of the case Elvis sent them happy emails about each other but it didn't help him. He was still torn up about what she had said. When she left pride's bar he left too, walking her home. When they were at her apartment door he couldn't stop himself. He kissed her, making sure he didn't block her in. He didn't want to cause another panic attack. She kissed him back. When he finally pulled away to breathe. He studied her eyes but couldn't read what was going on there so he asked. "Did you mean it when you said the thought of us sleeping together was disgusting?" She winced and shook her head. "Then why say it?"

She fumbled with her keys and pulled him inside her apartment. "Because it's something that I like'd the thought of a lot, that I have been thinking about since I was practically living with you. But then everything got so messed up. Hell for a little while you had some chick living with you and a kid..."

He kissed her again walking her back until she was almost on the couch then he spun them around so he sat and she was in his lap. She let out a squeak when they flopped onto the couch but when they were steady again she went back to kissing him. She loved that he was always conscious of causing her another panic attack. Never boxing her in, always making sure she could pull away.

"But disgusting?" He asked when he came up for air.

"I didn't want anyone to see how much it made me think. Hell I have this image of you in just your boxers that I can't get out of my head. It's been there since I saw it happen, but when I saw that email. Dreaming about taking them off was all I could think about..."

He grinned at her, "oh, would you like to work on that?" He asked her his eyebrow raised. She blushed but nodded standing and pulling him behind her.

The next morning when he woke up with her in his arms again he felt like he had finally come home. He must have moved because she rolled over and nuzzled his bare chest in her sleep. He kissed the top of her head and curled more tightly around her and allowed himself to drift back to sleep.

She woke later feeling safe. She could feel her face against a bare chest. His arms wrapped tightly around her and his head resting on top of hers. She had never been happier in her life. Grinning to herself she bit his nipple. Not too hard but enough to wake him up and get him grinning at her.

"Well good morning there city mouse. Having fun?" He asked pulling her up for a kiss. He rolled to his back pulling her along so that she ended up laying half across him as they kissed. His hands roamed over her, caressing. He groaned when a phone rang. "No, I wanted to just stay here all day with you. Don't answer it." They ignored it but the other phone started ringing the second the first one stopped. They sighed and he grabbed the phone making sure whose it was before handing it to her to answer.

"Percy," she answered trying to make her voice sound sleepy.

"Hey Sonja we caught a case. I tried chris but he didn't answer, could you see if you could find him? I'll text you the address." It was Gregorio. Sonja wondered why it was her and not pride but she shrugged it off and hung up. Chris kissed her before bolting toward the bathroom laughing.

"Hey don't use all the hot water buster. You do and we'll see if you get more of last night ever again." She yelled after him.

He came rushing back, grabbed her, and carried her into the bathroom with him. Straight into the shower. She was laughing and breathless. He pressed her into the wall and kissed her hard.

They were rushing to get there in a reasonable time. They hopped out of the truck as soon as it pulled in. He was still pulling on his ncis jacket and hat she grabbed their bags but had to switch them as they walked up to everyone and he realized he had hers by mistake.

The team gave them a weird glance but no one said anything. Pride had him work with Gregorio most of the case and she badgered him about dating. He kept just saying he was doing fine he didn't need her help. When she pointed out the lawyers secretary was eyeing him up and that she thought they had chemistry he just shrugged her off.

"If you don't go for her I will." She threatened. When he just grinned at her she shrugged and went over to chat up the secretary. Chris just grinned trying not to watch not wanting the woman to feel like he was interested.

That night heading home chris volunteered to take Percy home since they had come in together that morning anyway. He took her to her place but he didn't even let her out of the car. "It's been a long day, you just stay here and wait for me." He said giving her a quick kiss.

He ran in and grabbed her pajamas, the t-shirt and sweats she had stolen from him, a few days worth of clothes, all of the bathroom products she had kept at his house before, and the perishable food from her fridge. When he came out side with his arms weighed down she rolled down her window. "You, um, planning on asking me to move in with you or just doing it and seeing if I notice that I don't go home anymore?"

"I thought you might think it was too soon. But I have been thinking, we were basically dating before, hell even sleeping together and you were comfortable with that. Hell when I came back from my moms I was going to ask you out for real but you had left..." he trailed off, "and then the hug and everything that happened after that. I don't want to live with what ifs. I want you in my life. Please move in with me. I was so worried when melody showed up with tucker that I wouldn't be able to fix whatever had gone wrong with us."

"You really loved that little boy didn't you?" She asked him.

"I thought he was mine." He answered as if that explained everything. "I was mad that it was someone I didn't care about, love, that was the momma though. I can see being a daddy now. I want that some day but I'd like to make the baby on purpose with a woman I love. Hell an oops would be fine too as long as it was with the right person."

She smiled and pulled him into another kiss. Then a thought hit her. "Where did melody sleep when she was there chris?"

He grinned at her, "now Sonja would you be feeling jealous?" At her sharp look he answered more seriously. "I slept on the couch and gave her the room with tucker. Don't worry I cleaned the sheets as soon as she left."

"Then let's go home chris." His heart soared.

"Home?" He asked. She just nodded. He smirked and kissed her hard before running around the other side of the truck and jumping in.

Later in bed he laid there holding her as she lay with her head resting over his heart, an arm thrown across his stomach. He kissed the top of her head, one hand playing lightly over her back.

"So I have a question that's been bugging me." She started, "how did you get my dad to calm down? He was ready to break out of prison..."

He chuckled. "I don't think at the time you would have believed me. I told him everything that had happened and what I was feeling. He asked for me to come have a face to face talk with him..."

"You didn't go did you?!" She asked looking terrified.

He frowned at her, "yeah the morning I went to see my momma I went to see your daddy first..."

"He didn't try and hurt you?"

"He threatened that if I hurt you at all he would break out and find me. That he was already serving a life sentence, what more could they do to him." Chris shrugged. "I went and saw my momma after that and she told me I was being silly that if I really cared that I should ask you out and damn the circumstances. I got home though and you were gone, all of your stuff gone..." he trailed off swallowing.

She hugged him tight, "I got scared chris. I knew you were going to your moms but I guess I never thought that meant you would have to stay over night. Then just out of the blue you said you were staying. I didn't know what to do, could I stay here when you weren't here? Then I realized how much I had really moved in and that freaked me out. I mean we weren't even dating and I was living here."

"But if you think about it, we were dating. We went out together, ate together often and not just at work, and went out to drink together."

"But then you danced with that blonde..."

He laughed, "I didn't say I wasn't an idiot. I was worried about you being the first person I dated after Savannah. So I tried to encourage you to see someone else so I wouldn't feel like you were mine. It didn't help, and then you were on the front porch crying and I could have kicked my own ass."

"You haven't really seen anyone but me after Savannah though, do you still feel like that?"

"I tried after you left. I had a few dates but I never did anything but take them out for drinks. They just didn't seem to fit. Besides momma told me that if it's right it's right and not to worry that you were the first after Savannah."

They laid their holding each other close for a long time before he asked, "Want to tell me what happened? You haven't talked about it since you got back."

"I was already out of the house, but my sisters were still there when he started coming around. I was going through my training for atf. I came home on leave to find bruises on all of them and my youngest sister not talking to anyone. I kicked his ass, and told him I would keep doing it just like my daddy if he ever touched her like that again. He hadn't worked himself up into raping her yet but he would grab her inappropriately. He must have believed me because that stopped at least. Unfortunately he kept hitting them. I wasn't around enough to keep them save. But my middle sister moved out soon later and the youngest landed a huge modeling career. She travels so much that she was mostly safe too. I couldn't talk mom into leaving. You know the standard I did something wrong routine that battered women tend to have."

"She's safe now." He told her hugging her tighter. He felt tears on his chest. "Shh, shh it will be ok." He crooned to her softly rubbing her back gently.

She cried herself to sleep not saying anything else. just letting herself release the built up tension from all the years of dealing with this man. He held her, rocking as much as he could flat on his back. He sang softly for her any song he could think of.

XXXXXX

The next morning he woke first and decided to make breakfast for her. He had taken their phones to the kitchen in case they rang. he didn't want her to wake up. She looked to him like she hadn't been sleeping well. He had just started breakfast when her phone rang. The name that came up on the screen was not someone from work so he answered it softly moving out onto the front porch.

"Hello?" He said.

"Um, well hello. Can I ask why you are answering my sister's phone?" The voice was curious and very suspicious.

"She's sleeping and she had a rough night so I didn't want the phone to wake her." He answered, grinning knowing Sonja was going to fly off the handle that he answered her phone again for another member of her family.

"What does rough night mean? Who is this? Is Sonja alright? I mean nothing happened with her job did it? Oh my god she's in the hospital isn't she?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. No Sonja is fine, nothing happened at work, she's in my bed not the hospital, and no she doesn't need to be in a hospital."

"What does rough mean? And who are you that she would be in your bed?"

"We talked about the step last night. And I'm her partner..."

"The one with the kid?"

"Turns out tucker wasn't mine, but nice to know she talks about me with her sister."

"Ok, so partner is she back in your bed like before or did something else happen?"

Chris grinned evilly, "what else would happen with little 'ol me?"

"Shut up, no way. What happened? No never mind you are a guy you won't have enough details. But then getting details out of her when she doesn't want to is like pulling teeth. So tell me what happened last I heard you had a kid which apparently changed."

"Nah, I know better than to get between sisters. I'll tell Sonja you called and when she calls you back she can tell you what she wants."

"Oh come on, not one little bitty detail?"

Chris thought a moment, "I've met your father."

"What!" She shrieked in his ear. He was laughing when Sonja came out on the porch.

"Who are you talking to country mouse?" she asked coming up behind him, hugging him from behind. Kissing up his bare back.

"Your sister. She called and I didn't want to wake you up." He answered handing her the phone. Giving her a kiss before heading back to the kitchen.

Sonja stood there shocked a moment before bringing the phone to her ear.

"Hello, hello what happened?" Her sister was nearly yelling.

"Camila quieter please. I just woke up, I haven't had coffee or tea yet." As soon as the words left her mouth chris came back with coffee just how she liked it. He kissed her again.

"I'm working on breakfast, I'll come get you when it's ready." He told her before going back into the house.

She trailed after him sipping her coffee forgetting about her sister for a moment she made a happy little moan noise.

"Should I call back? She heard from her phone.

"He made me coffee." Sonja answered in response.

"He is that good at coffee that it gets a moan?"

"Oh trust me chris is that good at a lot of things." She answered before sipping more of her coffee.

"You have to dish!" Her sister demanded. "Last I heard this guy had a kid, and now he says turned out that it wasn't his? And he answered your phone because he wanted to let you sleep after having a rough night. You were in his bed not the hospital, which is where my mind jumped when he said rough night."

Sonja explained everything that had happened, getting her sister caught up. While she watch chris move around the kitchen in just his boxers cooking for her. She got distracted a few times when he bent over to look for something in her fridge or check on what he had going in the oven.

"I asked for one tid bit from him and his answer was that he met dad. What happened there?"

"Oh yeah he told me about that last night. I didn't know he had gone to see him. Remember when I called freaking out that he was staying the night at his moms and I didn't know what to do? That morning he had gone to see daddy. I told you about them talking after he answered my phone. apparently daddy asked to see him face to face and chris went."

"He does know why dad is in jail right?"

"He's a federal agent. Even if I hadn't told him he could have found out." Percy laughed a little. "So that gets you caught up on me. You called and got majorly side tracked by my life so what's new with you sis?"

"Oh man I completely forgot. I have to come into town and was wondering if I could crash at your place?"

"Sure why not, I probably won't be there though..."

"What? I know you spent the last couple nights together but what if you get sick of each other?"

"We were basically living together for a few months a while back and essentially dating then too, we just didn't really realize it at the time. He asked me to move in with him last night. He even packed for me knowing what I had here last time and grabbed my food..."

"That's still a huge step sis you ready?"

Sonja looked up to see chris washing his prep dishes and glancing at a timer being so homey without expecting her to do all those things. "Yeah I think I am."

"I'm so happy for you! Can I meet him while I'm in town?"

"Sure, what's bringing you in anyway?"

"I have an interview! One of the top pastry chefs in the country is opening a new place and I got invited to interview for a position in the kitchen, I could bring in two people with me if I get the job. They would have to prove competency but I have the ability to select my candidates at least."

"That sounds amazing! Any idea on who you would bring with you if you get the job?"

They talked about Camila's job interview until chris brought her a plate and took the phone away from Sonja.

"It was nice talking with you Camila. Congrats on the interview. And I can't wait to meet you. Breakfast is ready, and best eaten hot. so it's time for me to have Sonja back now."

"You got all of that while you were cooking and only had one side of the conversation?" She asked sounding impressed.

He smiled. "Federal agent, remember." He handed the phone back to Sonja so they could say goodbye and make plans to meet when Camila was in town so Sonja could get her a key.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I own nothing that is familiar.

They had decided originally not to tell the team incase they didn't last. They dated for a few months, living together. Before chris brought up telling people about them. Chris wanted to tell everybody that they were together but settled for now with just his mom. Percy wasn't so sure about telling everyone yet. What if pride split them up? She liked the whole team but she trusted chris the most to back her up. Trusted him to know what she was thinking. Which means if she was undercover he knew what she would likely do. In their jobs you needed someone like that at your back.

As soon as he told his mom she wanted to come visit so she could meet Sonja. Chris had managed to put her off for a couple of weeks as they had been extremely busy at work. Now they stood waiting at the airport for her plane to disembark, and to collect her luggage.

"What if she doesn't like that we are living together? What if she doesn't like me?" Sonja was pacing in front of him as he leaned against his truck.

Chris snagged her around the waist her next time by and pulled her into a hug. Kissing her hard. "Relax city mouse, all momma is gonna care about is how happy you make me. So just be yourself and she will love you."

"You sure?" She asked into his chest holding him so tight his ribs protested.

He kissed the top of her head smiling down at her. "Yes Sonja, she will love you, nearly as much as I do."

She pulled back and looked up at him shock on her face, "you love me?" She asked her voice squeaked and she had tears welling up in her eyes.

"I have for a long time... why do you think I went and talked to your dad? If I hadn't cared about you I wouldn't have risked going to see someone that has killed in the past for you. And while I was at my momma's after that all we talked about was you. It's why when I finally had you I wouldn't let you go home, and moved you back in with me." She was crying against his chest. he could feel the tears through his shirt. "Hush baby. please don't cry..." his hands caressed her back trying to soothe her.

"I love you too," she whispered.

He pulled her back from him, looking down into her eyes. "You mean it, not just saying it 'cause I did?" He asked wanting to believe her but scared to. She nodded and he leaned down and kissed her. Laughing he was so happy he picked her up and spun her around a few times. "I love you Sonja Percy, my city mouse, so much." He whispered right into her ear. As he held her tightly.

"I love you too country mouse." She answered him.

They stood there like that for a minute. Before he turned her around and held her from behind. He swayed happily with her in his arms. His head was down against the top of hers. When he looked up he was surprised to see his mom already standing there with her bag, and a huge smile on her face.

"Hey momma, how long were you standing there?" He asked, as soon as the words left his mouth Sonja tensed up.

"Long enough. you were having a moment, I didn't want to interrupt." She answered closing the rest of the distance between them.

"Momma this is Sonja Percy. Sonja this is my momma, Annette." Chris said introducing them. He eased his grip on Percy hoping she wouldn't bolt but wanting to hug his mom. He squeezed her hand before letting it go, and going over to his mom. He gave her a huge happy hug, much like she had done to him when he came and saw her nearly a year ago now.

She hugged him back tight and whispered, "you love this girl don't you baby?" When he nodded she kissed his cheek and let him go. She went over to Sonja and without letting her object swooped in for a tight hug. "Thank you, thank you for bringing my boy back to me. I was so worried he would follow her. But the light he has in his eyes when he looks at you, or talks about you, it warms my heart."

Sonja was speechless. At first not knowing what to do, but eventually hugged her back.

They took her to Chris's, having already made up the bed for her. They were going to stay at Sonja's empty apartment while she was in town.

"You have been staying here huh?" She asked within five minutes of being there.

Embarrassed Sonja just nodded before asking, "how..."

"How do I know?" She laughed, "my boy is a mess unless someone is there to remind him to do the dishes or laundry. he would only do what he needed when he needs it. Even if I was coming into town all he would do is collect them so the laundry wasn't in every room of the house. But right now the house is spotless."

Appalled Sonja turned to chris, "you leave your place a mess when your mom comes to town? Let me guess, by the time she leaves everything is clean, right?" She smacked his arm, "she comes to visit. not to clean after you."

"What? she likes looking after me." He responded.

Sonja shook her head at him. "You are awful Christopher."

When Sonja went to the bathroom his mother went and grabbed something out of her bag and handed it to him. He opened it smiled and stashed it in his pocket before Percy came back. "Thanks momma..." he trailed off when he heard the water run. He brought out the sandwiches they had prepped for an easy lunch and pasta salad. He had even made Sonja her own vegan bowl of pasta salad.

They spent the afternoon talking mostly about each other's family. Percy getting to know his mom and her Percy. Chris spent most of the time cuddled behind Percy on the couch holding her and just listening to them talk to one another. Occasionally adding in a comment or story. They were eating dinner when chris got called about a case.

"I'm sorry momma. We have to go, that was work." He told her as he stood up. Percy's phone rang then and she was told about the case.

"You haven't told your work you are living together?" She asked after seeing them both get called.

"Not yet momma..." chris started.

"It's my fault. I was worried about telling the team. I didn't want to be split up from chris at work."

His mom nodded before saying something chris didn't realize she understood about their job. "But what if something happened to you? Don't they go and investigate the home? If they went to your apartment and investigated all they would find is that you hadn't been staying there in a while. Would it give them any clues as to where you were currently living?"

Sonja thought about what his mom had said the whole way to the crime scene. Chris was holding her hand as they drove, just letting her think. He knew he wanted to tell everyone already anyway. It would be better if instead of trying to convince her of that, that she came to the same conclusion on her own.

Just before they pulled up he kissed her knuckles and let her hand go. "I love you Sonja." He told her.

"I love you too chris. Maybe we just tell pride? We have been seeing each other for months and I don't think it has effected our work, maybe he won't split us up?" She asked sounding worried.

"We can tell anyone you want baby just let me know who and when."

"How can you be so calm?"

"Because I know, partners or not, you will always have my back." He answered as he put the truck in park.

"But..." she started before he opened his door.

"You found me at bar after bar, night after night for months. You will always have my back when I need you most. And I would do the same for you." He told her before getting out.

She bumped him with her shoulder smiling as they walked up to the rest of the team. They were given an odd look before Gregorio asked, "where were you two dressed so nice?" Chris was wearing a dress shirt and slacks and Percy a sun dress.

"I was with my momma and I picked up Percy from having dinner with someone." Chris answered not exactly lying.

Gregorio's eyes snapped to Percy. "So who was it?"

"A guy I have been seeing for a while. I was hoping to be able to finish the meal he made me. I hope it reheats well." She answered.

"He made you dinner?" She asked.

"He cooks all the time, I like watching him work in the kitchen. It's nice not having a Neanderthal that wants me to do all the cooking and cleaning."

"Hey, I resemble that remark." Chris teased knowing it was a pretend jab at him as she occasionally called him Neanderthal.

"The case, you can discuss Sonja's love live and Chris's lack of manners later." Pride chided.

The rest of the week they barely got to see his mom. They had to sneak away for meals here and there with her, never getting to stay long. They weren't able to solve the case before Chris's mom had to fly home. When she needed to go to the airport chris was interrogating a suspect with pride so Percy volunteered to take her.

"Thanks Percy. Tell her I love her, and I'm sorry I couldn't come myself to see her off. Oh and give her a hug for me."

Rolling her eyes, she answered, "of course, hug your mom for you that's not awkward at all country mouse." She took the keys from him laughing to herself that she was going to mess up how he had everything positioned, and he would grumble about it for a week.

XXXXXX

She chatted with his mom the whole way to the airport. Talking mostly about chris as a baby or kid. Sonja loved hearing the stories. He sounded like a cute kid, a handful but cute. When they pulled up Percy got out to get his mom's luggage out of the back for her. Once she had it out his mom hugged her again.

"It was so great getting to meet you. And I can't thank you enough for saving my baby from himself. You call me if you need anything. Even if it's just that he is driving you crazy and you need to talk to someone that understands because she lived with him too." Percy hugged her back saying she would call.

She was thinking about chris as a kid as she headed back to headquarters. Wondering to herself how his own kids would be. When she realized where her mind was she nearly had a panic attack but she held it together. She had to, she was driving. She was shaking by the time she pulled up outside and parked the truck.

When chris saw her he made a bee line for her, "hey what's the matter?" He asked not caring who was around. She just shook her head, which she shouldn't have done because she kept doing it. She could feel the panic welling up inside her. "Shh, shh Sonja it's ok... come on let's go for a walk, it will be nice and wide open. no claustrophobic spaces..." he urged her out the door she had just come in.

There was a park near by that he ushered her to. Now away from their co-workers. He crooned to her. "Shh baby it's ok, whatever it is, we'll be ok. Can you talk to me baby? tell me what's wrong?" He asked running his hands over her arms as if she was cold and he was warming her up.

It took her a little bit but she was able to slow her breathing and answer him. "I took your mom to the airport. while we were driving she talked about baby chris or little kid chris. I didn't think anything of it while we were driving. But then I was in the car by myself and I wondered if your, our, kids would be like you. I guess I didn't realize I thought about us and kids at the same time like that. I held it together while I was driving because I knew I needed to get back to you to be safe but..."

She trailed off and he kissed her. "It's ok city mouse. While I'm pretty sure I want kids, I'm ok with that being a distant thought for now. I don't want you to panic about anything with us, ok? Anytime you think we are going to fast tell me, we'll work through it together."

Feeling eyes on them chris put his head up and looked around. Seeing that Percy followed suit. Chris found him first. pride was standing looking at them. he was far enough away that he couldn't have heard what they said, but he was adept at reading body language and would know they were together, even if he hadn't seen them kiss. Sighing he looked back at Percy. Who was staring at pride slightly terrified, like he was going to beat her. "You ready to tell pride? Cause I bet he can already guess." Chris asked taking her hand. She just nodded and they walked over to him together.

Pride just stood there and looked at them. Not knowing what he wanted to know first they just looked back. He shook his head and said, "we will talk about some of this later. first Sonja, are you ok?"

She smiled sort of ironically, "yeah, I had a panic attack but I'm ok. Getting back to the case will help get my mind off it."

"I could see you were having a panic attack. I take it that it wasn't case related if working will not bother you?"

"No, not case related. Relative related sort of."

"Chris's mom?" Pride asked.

"Not really, she just put something in my head that freaked me out a little."

"So how long have you been seeing each other?" He asked.

They looked at each other, then back at pride. "Since we last saw Elvis." Chris answered. "Sort of, it's a long explanation."

"Months?" He asked raising an eyebrow at them.

Suddenly Sonja punched Chris's arm. "I had this shit under control before you, you know. It had been years since I had a panic attack and now you have caused three in the span of a year and the first two within weeks of each other!" She hissed at him.

"Hey to be fair i'm pretty sure momma caused this one, not me. I wasn't even there." He said as he rubbed his arm.

She huffed out a breath. "Says the man who had me drive his mother to the airport when I had just met her the other night and we didn't even have that much time to get to know each other. You just wait i'll spring my mother on you and see how you like it."

"I didn't ask her to bring up babies..."

"Babies!?" Pride asked.

"She was talking about baby chris and my brain wandered with that, that's what caused the panic attack." She answered. Smacking Chris's arm because he was grinning like an idiot. "Knock it off."

"What I can't be happy that you thought of babies with me when that's not even what was talked about?"

"Neanderthal." She grumbled.

"after this case you two are going to sit with me and talk about everything that's going on." Pride told them, "but for now we have a case that needs our attention."

Gregorio gave them raised eyebrows as they came back in. Pride just ignored her, taking his cue Percy did too. Chris just shrugged and went back to his desk. Pride kept them working together not wanting Gregorio to pry, and cause a repeat panic attack. He also saw how quickly chris was able to help her calm down. Percy would need him near her if it happened again.

Pride took Gregorio with him to search a suspects house. On the way there she badgered him with questions. "What happened? I mean she looked ready to bolt or throw up or something. You both went after her and less than ten minutes she's fine again."

"Thats something you have to ask Percy, when she is ready she'll share. Percy's private though, she wasn't even happy about telling me. She only did because I caught up with her and helped calm her down."

"So she would have told chris even if you weren't there and been fine telling him?"

"They are close Gregorio, good partners have a high level of trust. Sometimes you just need a sounding board."

"So who do you talk to?" She asked curious.

"Mostly Loretta, she is a good sounding board when I need it."

"So what I'm stuck with Sebastian for this?" She asked looking offended.

Pride laughed, "you are not stuck with anyone. you have to find the person you trust the most. It doesn't have to be a work person. But because our work is so hectic it's easier if it's a work person. Also on the bad days its easier to chat with them since they are right here."

Gregorio nodded that she understood. She kept thinking over Percy's moment though. Wondering what had happened, she was just on a run to the airport for chris right? His mom had been in town and he couldn't get away to take her to the airport. Something about Chris's mom had upset her? But then pride and chris were able to calm her down fairly quickly... she had come from dinner with a guy she had been dating and chris had been with his mom... "they are dating aren't they?" She asked.

Pride looked over at her a small grin on his face, "now why would you say that?" He asked suspiciously.

"Think about it she was running Chris's mom to the airport because he couldn't. When she gets back she looks like she is panicking. When they were all dressed up and I asked why she said she was at dinner with a guy she had been dating for a while. That he had made dinner. And chris said that he had been with his mom. They were really together the whole time. She was having dinner with him and his mom. Then his mom must have pushed something too hard on the ride to the airport. that got her thinking about it, and bam panic attack. Which chris calmed down, not both of you, if I'm right."

"Weren't you the one that sent the email saying you thought they were sleeping together. What was their response to that?" Pride asked in response.

"That was months ago, things could have changed since then." She defended her theory.

Pride just laughed. "I guess you'll have to do some girl bonding with Percy to find out. Unless you think you'd have better luck with chris."

"And that's another thing, I was trying to get him to meet someone. he kept just saying that he was doing fine. I thought he was just being stubborn about the melody thing. If they were already dating at that point then that would explain his lack of interest."

They pulled in and pride said, "let it go Gregorio. its time to work now. You will have to figure out what was up with Percy on your own time." Pride sent a quick text to Lasalle letting him know Gregorio was pretty sure about what was going on.

Chris rolled his chair over next to her and kissed her cheek. "I love you." He murmured and nuzzled her neck. She whipped her head around and snapped at him, "we are at work!"

"So? Pride knows and he just sent me a text saying that Gregorio is pretty positive we are dating. Besides no one else is here." He gave her a confused look.

She shook her head, "we have to stay professional at work chris, or they could split us up. Now that pride knows we have to be even more careful."

He fake pouted before saying, "I just wanted to check on you. You had me scared earlier when you walked in, and you were so terrified."

"I should have called you, asked you to come out to me. If I had pride wouldn't know and Gregorio wouldn't have figured us out."

Chris stood, walked behind her, and started rubbing her shoulders. "Shh city mouse, it's ok, everything will be ok. Pride didn't yell at us, just said he wanted to talk to us. And Gregorio is a friend we should tell our friends about us. Maybe we could do something to show them all together we are dating, hmm? We could go to pride's bar and dance together. It might be fun to see their faces."

"I'll think about it ok? Right now I just want to go home, be held, and sung to. You are so sweet when you think I'm asleep. I love to listen to you sing to me."

He kissed the top of her head before moving back to his own desk. He pulled up a radio station on his computer and started singing along as he worked. He didn't even stop when pride and Gregorio got back despite their weird looks. If his baby wanted it he would give her everything he could. He couldn't take her home so he would sing for her.

After they finished the case Gregorio asked Percy if she wanted to go out dancing. Percy had bothered her for weeks for a while to go out and she had turned Percy down. She fully expected her to jump at the chance.

"I'm not really sure I'm up for that tonight, how about a rain check and we just hang out at pride's bar tonight." Turning to Lasalle she asked, "you ready to hit it country mouse?"

"Ready when you are city mouse." He replied coming up behind her.

"How come you don't drive yourself anywhere anymore?" Gregorio asked.

Percy shrugged, "we only ever use his truck for work anyway why not make him come get me?"

The team had been there for a while, and she had had several drinks. Seeing that she was going to need to be driven home he had only had two drinks. When she ordered another drink chris caught prides eye and shook his head. "Why don't I get you home, city mouse. Don't want you to pass out on us. You are already going to be feeling it tomorrow." She just shrugged and stood to leave and wavered on her feet. "Whoa there Sonja. Can you make it to the truck?" He asked catching her elbows.

She nodded then turned a little green and shook her head carefully. He helped her over to the bar where he flagged down pride for a bottle of water for her. When pride came over chris asked, "why don't you come over tomorrow afternoon, she should be awake by then. She's worried about this talk, better to rip off the bandaid."

Nodding pride asked, "you need help with getting her home?"

"Nah, I've got her." With that chris walked with her to the door. His arm was tight around her waist keeping her standing. Once he got outside he changed his hold on her so she was laying in his arms, one arm around his neck, her head resting in the hollow of his shoulder her other hand resting over his heart. He leaned back using just one arm to hold her as he opened the truck door. He got her strapped in before he noticed Gregorio.

"If you were going to be all stalkery you could have at least helped get the door." He told her.

"You had it. So what was up with her this week?"

Chris shook his head, "you'll have to get Percy to confide in you."

"Ok, then what was up with singing at work?"

Grinning chris replied, "getting someone to confide in you generally doesn't start with an interrogation. I felt like singing so I did. Now I'm going to get Percy home before she pukes in my truck, ok?"

In the truck he texted pride to run interference so that Gregorio couldn't follow him home. He didn't want it confirmed for her until Percy was ready to tell people.

XXXXXX

Chris woke Percy up around 10 the next day and got her drinking coffee. "Pride is going to swing by this afternoon. I figured you would want to be awake and ready when that happened." He told her as he held her from behind. They stood out on the deck just listening to nature. "You ok city mouse?" He asked, he had been worried about her for a few days now after her panic attack and then the amount of drinking she had done.

"Yeah country mouse. I'm still not sure I'm ok with thinking about babies yet, but I'm not panicking about it anymore. I am worried about what pride will say when we talk. I was nervous and I didn't want to give anything away to the team before we talk with pride."

He nuzzled her neck saying. "No matter what pride does or says I still love you. We are still together." He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her tight. "Let's go shower so we are ready when he gets here. After the shower I'll make us some lunch and we can cuddle on the couch."

Pride knocked when he got there but no one answered. Chris's truck was in the drive though. Thinking maybe they were on the deck and hadn't heard him he used his key and let himself in. He smiled they were asleep in each other's arms on the couch. He squeezed Chris's shoulder waking him up.

Chris looked up and saw pride, then down at Percy sleeping in his arms he smiled at her. He tried to gently slide out of her arms and off the couch. She woke up though and looked at him confused. She looked around then and noticed pride heading into the kitchen. She flew off the couch embarrassed at being caught in Chris's arms. She gave chris wide eyes to which he just shrugged and got up. He hugged her, giving her a quick kiss. "Relax city mouse we'll be ok. We were at home not at work just now, besides we were not doing anything but sleeping." He squeezed her tight before taking her hand and following pride into the kitchen.

Pride had started coffee while he waited for them to join him. He had seen Percy's shock and what looked like fear. He wondered where that was coming from but figured he would be able to get her to tell him during their talk.

"Hey king, thanks for coming by today." Chris said coming over to shake his hand. "Sorry we fell asleep after lunch..."

"It's your day off and we didn't set a time chris, its fine." Pride answered. Pride was watching Percy though she was clinging to chris like she thought he would demand they stop seeing each other. Mentally sighing pride figured that was where the fear was coming from. "How are you feeling today Sonja?"

"Hangover is mostly gone, chris took good care of me. Made me take aspirin and drink a bottle of water last night and this morning gave me plenty of coffee, water, and made sure I had breakfast."

"That's good, glad you aren't feeling too awful. So tell me about what went on you said you started dating a few months ago but that it was a long story."

Chris told him the story starting back from the first night he had asked Sonja to stay the night with him after he had been out drinking. Percy interjected here and there with her side of things but mostly let him tell it.

"Basically you to have been together, broke up, and got back together over the last year?" He asked an waited until they nodded.

"You worked fine together the whole time except for while melody was around with tucker. You have shown you can keep it professional at work no matter what you have going on personally. I don't want to break you guys up as partners..." he watched Percy visibly relax at that, "you are solid as partners, and obviously you trust each other."

Chris gave Sonja a happy grin. And squeezed her hand liking the praise they were getting.

"But one thing you both need to work on is when the other has to do something dangerous. Unfortunately danger is part of our jobs. It's something that will come up again. Work out something personally so that it doesn't effect your work or personal lives before it happens again." He paused giving them both a stern look. Before adding, "I think you should tell the rest of the team but that's up to you two. Keep in mind that if you two stop working well together for whatever reason I have the right to split you up as partners."

They both nodded. Percy grinning evilly said, "I think we know the perfect way to let the team know. Really it's my fault we didn't tell you guys. I was afraid if you knew you would have to split us up as partners. As much as I trust the rest of the team, I trust myself the most to keep chris safe."

XXXXXX

That night they went to pride's bar and despite it not being a work day the whole team was there. That wasn't unusual everyone usually started at pride's before heading off for their plans for the night. Gregorio was on her as soon as they walked in.

"So what was up this week? You seemed really stressed out."

"You need to work on your friend speak Gregorio. Less interrogation more friendship." Was all she said before heading to the bar.

She ordered two shots. grabbing them she handed one to chris. They grinned at each other, clinked glasses, and downed it. They put their glasses back on the bar before Percy grabbed his hand and headed straight for the dance floor. Chris trailed behind watching her ass the whole way, grinning like an idiot. It was a fast beat and they jumped right in dancing, close. There was no space between them and they immediately forgot they were surrounded by their work friends only seeing one another. The song changed but they kept dancing, this time a slow song and he gathered her up in his arms. She laid her head on his chest her ear over his heart, eyes closed arms wrapped tight around him. He laid his head on hers loving how well she fit him.

He opened his eyes and laughed softly. "Look at them baby. Want to give them a real show?" She popped open her eyes and laughed with him. She nodded against his chest. He gently put a finger under her chin and tilted her face up to his. He looked into her eyes for a moment before leaning in and kissing her. It started gently but quickly moved to hot and hard. She pulled away needing air and rested her head back on his chest. She looked back at the table of their coworkers and laughed again.

"I guess we better go talk to Gregorio she is bouncing she wants to ask so many questions." Percy said sighing.

"Ok, but first one more kiss, for luck you know." He said smirking at her. After they broke apart she was laughing as she pulled him back towards their friends.

He pulled her into a tight hug from behind before sitting and pulling her into his lap. "I love you city mouse." He whispered in her ear. She leaned over and nibbled his ear as she answered, "I love you to country mouse."

"Aren't you two just the cutest couple ever?" Gregorio all but crowed, when they stopped being absorbed in each other. Patton and Sebastian just sat their stunned and Loretta watched them like she had known all along.

Pride stopped by with a round of drinks saying they were on the house celebrating chris and Sonja being together.

"So when did this all start?" Gregorio asked fishing to see if the email they got about them that she had sent to the FBI had anything to do with them getting together.

"It's kind of a long story. But let's make it easy. We moved in together after the last time Elvis was in town." Percy told them. Yep she was a bandaid ripper alright, straight to the point.

"So you were already seeing each other then?" She asked, "why did you make it sound like you wouldn't sleep with him if pigs flew?" Honestly looking confused.

"No actually we hadn't slept together, wait that's not right. We hadn't had sex before we moved in together. And at the time of your email, even when it was originally sent we were not seeing each other. The long story part happened before your time." Chris continued the story. Sonja slapped his arm when he brought up their sex life. "What it's part of the story. And besides we are living together. you think they don't already know we are having sex?"

"We didn't the first time I was living with you." She countered.

"Wait you were living together before? And not having sex? How do you live with someone, sleep with them, and not have sex?" That was Patton joining in.

Chris looked away and Sonja snuggled closer, she intertwined their fingers before answering the question. "It was soon after Savannah died and it started as me trying to keep my partner from drowning in booze or his own vomit. I had my own personal thing happening and we basically became each other's security blankets. We ended up dating without really knowing that's what we were doing and living together because sleeping together kept the nightmares at bay."

"Hey I'm sorry man. I didn't mean to bring that up." Patton said looking horrified that he had asked.

"It's ok, its been a long time. It still hurts when I think about her. I still love her but she is gone, and Sonja taught me that I have something else to live for."

"So what happened this week? When you came back from taking Chris's mom to the airport. I mean you looked ready to bolt. And then you drank a lot for such a little girl last night?" Gregorio asked.

"Driving Chris's mom to the airport she was telling me stories about baby or little kid chris and once I was alone with my thoughts I managed to freak myself out about something. Chris helped me calm down but then pride was there so we had to tell him. Then I was nervous about if he would break us up as partners or not and I didn't want to talk to everyone until after we knew that."

"So still partners I take it?" Loretta asked.

"Yep." They said together smiling at one another.

"Oh if you two are going to act like this at work please kill me now." Gregorio whined.

Percy shook her head. "We have been dating for a few months did you ever have a clue anything changed until yesterday?"

"Well no, but you two have acted like a couple since I met you." Gregorio responded.

"They were always like that," Loretta said, "almost from their first meeting. Which was well before they started seeing each other at all."

XXXXXX

Chris loved that everyone knew about them, he could hold her hand while driving and not worry about anyone seeing them. Kiss her away from work, talk about the dates they were going on if asked about seeing someone.

Her mom came too when her sister did for the job she had landed months ago, they got her moved into Percy's apartment. they video chatted with her other sister so that everyone could get caught up and get to know chris. Her mom was pissed that they were living together, she made Sonja come stay at her apartment with her sister and her while she was in town.

The first day of her sisters new job, knowing her sister would be gone and Sonja was at work. Chris asked pride to cover for him and slipped out of work around lunch time. He went straight to Percy's apartment. He knocked being polite as he had a key. When her mom answered he asked if they could talk for a moment. She let him in looking at him suspiciously.

"So I have had something for a while, but I didn't want to do anything with it until we had told everyone that we were seeing each other. I'd like to ask Sonja to marry me." He said pulling the box out of his pocket and showing her the ring his mother had given him while she was in town a few months ago. "I'm not really sure how to ask this cause Savannah wasn't so traditional that she would have wanted me to ask her family's permission but I think Sonja is. Do I have your blessing? I plan on going and asking her father as well."

She smiled at him, nodding tears running down her face. "This ring is beautiful."

"It was my grandmothers, momma brought it to me when she was in town a few months back. She has their wedding set too when we need that if Sonja wants it."

She gave him a hug, "be careful with her daddy though. You do know why he is in prison right?"

"Yes ma'am, we met a while ago. Even then it was after Sonja told me what happened. I have to get back to work before Sonja notices I'm missing. Thank you." He said giving her an excited hug and a kiss on the cheek.

He stopped on his way back and picked up the lunch he had ordered for the whole team. He was hoping that would cover his time away from the office. He also called the prison her father was in and asked for a favor of a guard he knew. To get a note to her father, ask to speak with him alone when they go to leave. He spoke to pride too when Percy was chatting with Gregorio.

"If I ask her to marry me would that change us on the team?" Chris asked in a whisper. Watching to make sure neither lady acted like they could hear him from the other room.

Pride's face lit up, "you're going to ask her?" When chris nodded pride patted him on the shoulder. "Like I said before as long as you two are professional at work we are fine."

The weekend after her mom left, they drove to the prison to visit her dad. she hadn't seen him in a while and seeing her mom made her miss him. Sonja dominated the conversation while they were there telling her father about her mom visiting, her sister moving into her apartment, video chatting with her other sister, Chris's mom visiting a few months ago and that whole story, telling the team they were dating. The whole time she held his hand and beamed. "I used to tease him about being a Neanderthal but he is so sweet, he always cooks for me. Doesn't stick with the 1950s gender roles that he used to talk like he meant."

"Oh so you are living together again?" Her father asked picking up that he wasn't making her the little wife.

"Yes sir, I wasn't letting her go when I got her back. I didn't even know until after we were dating for real this time why she left."

Percy tilted her head down. "I realized that we were basically living together, and had been sort of dating. We had just fallen into it so easy. I got scared and you stayed at your moms that night. I didn't know if I could stay at your house if you weren't there. When I managed to sleep without nightmares on my own I decided that we didn't need to live together anymore. Basically I panicked at how fast we moved."

"Just to be clear, it wasn't a fight or anything like that, that I stayed at my moms. I had flown over to see her and she had me doing a list of things around the house for her. By the time I was done it was too late to fly home." Chris was hasty to explain to her father.

"I wish I had waited and talked to you instead of freaking out." She told him unhappily.

"Hey, it's ok. We figured us out." He told her gently lifting her chin for her. Letting her see how much he loved her. Her eyes got wide when she realized he was going to say it, she opened her mouth to say something anything but he beat her to it. "I love you Sonja. No regrets ok?" She nodded tears in her eyes. "Hey come on now city mouse no tears." He was stroking the side of her face completely absorbed in her.

Her father cleared his throat and Sonja jumped away from him like they had been caught making out. Chris just turned his head to the man still running his hands over her trying to soothe her. "Baby girl, I'd like to talk to chris a moment is that ok? Will you be alright?" He asked his voice tender.

She nodded stood and turned to leave but turned back gave chris a quick kiss and said, "I love you too, so don't let him kill you ok?"

They waited in silence until she was out of the room and the door was shut tight behind her.

"You wanted to talk?" Her father asked

"I wanted to ask for your blessing to ask Sonja to marry me."

"What?!" He nearly roared trying to stand but stopped short by his shackles.

"I love your daughter, sir. More than anything. I know the last time we talked I didn't know what I was doing but it's been about a year. I know I love her and want to spend the rest of my life with her. She didn't tell you but she caused herself a panic attack when my mom was in town. Mom was telling her stories about me as a baby and Sonja's mind wandered to if our kids would be like me. She wasn't ready to think about kids together which is what caused the panic attack but she did which tells me she thinks about a future with me too."

Her father nodded, "I see. How do you feel about kids with Sonja?"

"Honestly I wasn't sure I was ready for kids, but after thinking tucker was mine, I can see myself being a dad. I hated at the time that the mom was someone I barely knew. I caught myself thinking even at the time about tucker being mine and Sonja's. I missed her and things were so messed up between us at that point. I was overwhelmed and I know I handled it badly. If I could redo it I would have asked for a paternity test and when the kid wasn't mine asked what she really wanted."

"What if tucker had been yours?"

"I was raised to do the right thing and marry a girl if you got her pregnant. But I don't think I could have. I would have fought for custody rights, I wouldn't abandon my kid. But I already knew I was gone on Sonja and couldn't have followed through with doing that."

"So because you believed this girl that tucker was yours it's possible there are little Lasalles running around somewhere just waiting to pop up and hurt my baby girl?"

"I always tried to be safe sir. so there shouldn't be but condums aren't full proof. One could have broken. After Savannah died I did get around more than I should have but Sonja already knows all of that. and that I am completely committed to her now. Hell after she moved out, I thought she didn't feel the same way that I was just a security blanket for her. I tried taking a couple of girls out but we didn't get past coffee. I was stuck on Sonja and they couldn't compare."

Her father frowned at him for a long while and chris just stared back. "I want to be able to walk her down the isle. You make that happen and you have my blessing."

Chris nodded, stood, and walked over to the man. He shook his hand as much as possible with her father's hands in shackles. "I believe I can make that happen sir. Because of who we are there will be dozens of federal agents and cops there for the wedding. Thank you, sir."

A guard rushed in then, "sir you cannot touch the prisoner. Please stay on this side of the table."

Chris grinned at the guard. "It's ok, I am a federal agent, and I was just being polite to my soon to be father in law before I left." He kept his voice soft not knowing how far away from the room Percy was.

"Well that's assuming she says yes boy." Her dad grumbled.

"True," chris answered, looking nervous now.

"Relax boy. you go out there nervous like that and she'll know something's up."

"Hell she probably already knows something's up. Sonja is good at her job and knowing when something is going on is key to that."

"Want me to punch you so it looks like I was pissed at you?" He offered which made the guard step between them.

"You weren't pissed at me? You did a damn good imitation of being pissed." Chris said looking surprised.

He laughed, "must not be as good at your job as my baby girl. I just wanted to make sure that you really love her and want what's best for her."

Chris nodded, "thank you again sir. I will let you know what I find out."

XXXXXX

Chris got pride alone the next day at the bar so that they were less likely to be overheard. "So can I ask for a best man favor before I even ask her to marry me?"

Pride gave him a huge happy smile, "you want me to be your best man?"

"Of course. But I need to get something done before I can ask her, and I need your help." Chris explained her fathers demand.

Pride nodded and said, "I'll see if I can pull some strings."

XXXXXX

It took a little over a week before he got a text from pride saying "it's a go." He was at work and had to contain his excitement. He was in the middle of the victims home with Percy in the next room.

Chris texted back, "ok, I'll tell you the next step of the plan later."

XXXXXX

The weekend after that case was closed chris took Sonja out for the day. they did the whole tourist seen of their city, having fun just being together.

When they got home he helped her out of the truck, and led her by the hand up the front porch steps. He opened the door and motioned for her to go first. There were lit candles everywhere and Cala Lily's laid out on the floor showing a path. She looked at him in shock and he just motioned to the flowers. She followed them and he picked them up as he followed her out to the back deck knowing that there was a vase ready for them on the table.

The deck was strung with fairy lights. candles were everywhere including the one pillar candle in the center of the table. Chris placed the flowers he had gathered into the vase that was waiting on the side table. She was looking around at everything in wonder before looking back at him a question in her eyes.

"Would you join me for dinner?" He asked her, pulling out a seat for her at the table. Salads were already at their seats.

She sat down and he placed her napkin in her lap for her before sitting himself.

She couldn't contain herself anymore. "What is all this chris?"

"I wanted to do something special for you." Was all he responded before picking up his fork and starting his salad. He talked about their day and everything they had done.

He had taken her on a horse drawn carriage ride in the quarter. They had walked at the riverfront park hand in hand listening to the sound of the water and watching the boats going up and down the river. They had taken a ride on a streetcar watching their city roll by. And last they had taken a ride at dusk in the fairy to watch the city light itself up for the night.

While he was talking pride had come out and cleared the salad dishes and placed their dinners before them. Chris didn't stop talking or say anything to pride. when she looked at pride a question in her eyes pride gave no indication he saw her question and stepped back into the house with the dishes. Dinner was jambalaya keeping with the theme of the day New Orleans. Mentally shrugging to herself she listened to chris talk.

When they were done eating dinner pride came out again, taking away their dishes and leaving behind a decadent looking chocolate silk pie. Soft music had been playing that she hadn't noticed before as she was wrapped up in listening to chris. She finished her pie and chris was only half way done with his. He stopped eating though when she did.

He looked at her and smiled and moved out of his seat. "I love you Sonja Percy, my city mouse." He said as he came over to her. He bent down on one knee. "Would you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?" He asked pulling the ring box from his pocket and opening it. Percy stared at him in shock, long enough that he was worried about her. "Baby are you ok?"

Slowly she nodded. But still didn't say anything. "Nod means yes you are ok or yes you'll marry me? Baby I need you to say something here." Chris said getting nervous.

"Yes, chris, I'll marry you. And yes I'm ok, just surprised." She finally answered. He took the ring out and slid it onto her finger. Before leaning in and kissing her. Smiling he jumped up and shouted he was so happy then picked her up and carried her to their room. "Wait what about pride?" She squeaked.

"He was supposed to leave after dessert was served." Chris answered.

"He knew? Does the rest of the team? Our families?"

"Yeah he knew I enlisted his services as best man if you said yes. The rest of the team doesn't know yet. Momma brought me the ring, it was my grandmothers but doesn't know I have asked yet. And I asked your parents for their blessing so they knew it was going to happen too but not when."

"Wait your mom brought you the ring? But it's been a while since she was in town..." chris nodded as he laid her gently down on the bed climbing in with her.

"I have one other surprise. Your dad had a condition for his blessing. He wanted to be able to walk you down the isle. Now not wanting to get married at a prison I had pride pull some strings and get your dad released into his care for two days. He will be there for the rehearsal and the wedding." She kissed him then crying she was so happy.

They barely left their room for the rest of the weekend. At work on Monday they were surprised that the rest of the team was in the middle of a case. Gregorio grumbled why were they so special that pride refused to call them in over the weekend.

Chris and Sonja got read in on the case and started helping out. Pride had noticed she had on the ring and gave them Both a huge smile but since no one else noticed and they didn't make an anouncement he kept quiet.

Chris and Sonja were sent to comb through the newest victim's home. While pride went to check on Loretta and Gregorio and Sebastian kept working on the paper trail. Gregorio grumbled again that not only weren't they called in over the weekend. Then once they were there they get the better jobs. To which pride snapped, "they are the senior agents, with more experience. Learn something productive."

Chris and Sonja found a clue at the victim's house that led them to a suspect. Pride and chris interrogated him and solved the case.

"Let's save the paperwork for tomorrow, and head to the bar." Pride told the team. He didn't have to tell them twice.

Chris and Sonja held back wanting to talk to pride without the team for a minute. As soon as the last one was gone Percy ran over and gave him a huge hug. "Thank you for everything you did for us! Especially for figuring out how to have my dad there. That's so amazing! Thank you!"

Chris gently eased her back, seeing pride's shock at her being so emotional and touchy. Both things were not normally his Sonja. But apparently ask a girl to marry you and she gets emotional. Chris shook pride's hand and added his own thank you. Pride responded by patting his back and saying, "I'm so glad you two figured yourselves out. Glad you are so happy together. Now let's head over before they start to miss us. When are you going to tell the team?"

"Tell a team of trained investigators? Where is the fun in that? I mean she's been wearing the ring all day, and Percy doesn't wear rings. We were gone over the weekend and they had to work. She's played with it several times while she was thinking."

Loretta hugged them both when they got there saying. "Congratulations! Pride told me, so he could get it off his chest and focus on work. Then he was worried when he didn't hear anything. I told him no news is good news. Have you told everyone else yet?" When they shook their heads she added, "they spent all day with you guys and Sonja has that beautiful ring on and not one of them noticed? I want to see that ring closer once they figure it out." She demanded that last letting them go, finally.

Percy put her hand up and signaled for drinks for herself and chris as they walked over to the rest of the team.

"What took you guys so long?" Sebastian asked.

"Pride wanted to chat a second." Chris answered.

When their drinks arrived Percy reached for them and Gregorio gasped and ran around the table and snatched her hand out of the air, drink and all. Chris snagged the drink before Gregorio turned her hand to see the ring.

"Oh my god no way." She exclaimed turning Percy's hand this way and that letting the light catch on it.

"Um Tammy, why are you holding Sonja's hand?" Sebastian asked. Not having words yet she moved and tilted Percy's hand so the boys could see the ring.

Both men beamed and said their congratulations patting chris on the back and hugging Sonja.

"You did a great job Lasalle this ring is gorgeous." Gregorio finally said as she pulled Percy into a hug. "I'm so happy for you guys."

"It was my grandmothers." He answered.

Pride came in then with a round of drinks. "This rounds on the house. Congratulations chris and Sonja!"

"You knew?" Gregorio asked.

"I'm best man, of course I knew. I helped set it all up."

Loretta went over once Gregorio sat down again to see the ring. She smiled and kissed them both on the cheek and hugging them.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I own nothing that is familiar.

They started planning the wedding. They decided to have it at the chicory. Weather permitting the ceremony outside on the roof. They love the exposed brick and history the building has. They put pride in charge of hiring the band knowing he would find someone amazing.

Chris had Cade fly in so the guys could all go together and get their tuxes. His sister came too wanting to meet Sonja and get to see her brothers before the wedding. Hearing his siblings would be there Sonja's youngest sister flew in and stayed for a few days as well. Camila already in town was a huge help to Sonja during the planning.

They had a dinner and drinks at their house so their siblings could get to know each other and it turned out Lucia and Adelaide already knew each other. Those two had a huge fight when they saw each other, Sonja had to get between them.

"What is going on?" Sonja yelled looking between them.

"I can't believe I have to deal with her again..." started Adelaide.

"Deal with me? Please, it's not my fault. It's not my fault, men fawn over me all the time. How was I to know he was seeing someone? Blame his ass for cheating on you!"

"Trust me I do, but you think you are this perfect little princess and nothing is your fault. You could at least take some responsibility for your actions. You screwed my boyfriend!"

"What would that gain you? I accept that I screwed your boyfriend. I didn't know it at the time. Once I knew I dropped him."

Adelaide just let out a breath. "Now let's get to know each other and think about kicking his ass?"

Laughing they went out to the deck. Chris looked at Sonja. "Well that went better than I thought It would when it started." She nodded in response before taking his hand and heading out to join their siblings.

The girls became fast friends, which surprised chris having seen the fight when Lucia got here. They chatted about men like him and Cade weren't there. Even Sonja. She was talking about their sex life and her sisters were looking at him like a piece of meat they wanted. At that point he kissed her before dragging his brother into the house.

"She smacked me when I only said we were having sex to work people, but to our sisters with me and you right there and she tells them every detail." Chris grumbled getting himself and Cade fresh drinks.

"Two of those three are her sisters. she probably has always talked with them like that. The third is soon to be her sister, and her own sister knows her. She feels comfortable with them. Your work people are mostly guys. You talk about sex to guys and they want some, you talk about it to girls and they commiserate with you apparently."

There was a knock at the door and chris was surprised. everyone they expected was here. He opened it and his mouth fell open. "Meri?!" He asked hugging her.

"Hey chris! Sorry it's been so long. I heard you were getting married! Who is the lucky girl?"

Chris grinned wondering how she had heard he was getting married but not to who. "Hang on let me go steal her from our sisters."

He went out onto the deck kissed her, and told her someone was here to see her. He held her behind him as they walked inside. Chris still grinning like an idiot at Brody.

"It is someone I know?" She asked looking surprised at chris hiding his fiancé.

Hearing the voice Sonja ran out from behind chris and nearly tackled Brody. "Brody! Where have you been? What are you doing here?"

"Sonja?" She asked looking up to see chris beaming at them. "You guys are getting married, to each other?" She asked. "I totally called it, work husband!" She said as she returned Percy's hug. "I have been clearing my head about a few things. And I came back because this place is home. The first place since Emily died that feels like it."

"Come hang out with the girls on the deck." Sonja said pulling her further into the house.

Chris called pride, Patton, and Sebastian to come hang out with him and Cade. Not wanting her to feel left out he called Gregorio too. She could get closer to the girls. Her making friends with Camila would give her someone outside of work to be close to in the city.

Apparently Sebastian told Loretta and the whole team was partying at their house. He was glad they were kinda out of the way because they were not being quiet. The girls had music out on the porch, and the guys were watching basketball on his big screen. Pride had brought more beer and chris had ordered pizza for everyone.

Chris made sure to check on the girls every once and a while. Surprisingly he noticed pride going out too, and hovering over Brody. He gave pride raised eyebrows but he got no response to the question. He let it go for now.

Later every one had left except pride and Brody and they all set out on the deck music on in the background just catching up. Chris and Sonja both noticed how close they sat to one another and the looks they shared. Their hands were not on the table and Sonja at least suspected they were holding hands. She wondered if that was one of the things Brody had been thinking about while she was gone and she wondered if Brody was coming back to ncis.

"So Brody, you coming back to work?" Chris asked, apparently on the same track as Sonja had been.

"I was thinking about it but you guys seem to be full up at the moment..."

"If you wanted to I could see what I could do. These two are going to go on a honeymoon and I'll need help while they are gone." Pride said answering the unasked question. "I had planned to ask Gibbs to send someone down while they were out since his teams pretty full at the moment. I could return the favor if he needs when McGee gets married."

She nodded before turning back to chris and Sonja, "so where are you going to go for your honeymoon?"

"We haven't decided yet." Sonja answered. "But we are leaning towards either some place in the keys or a hot spring in Colorado."

Pride and Brody didn't stay much longer. Chris locked up after they left and went to join Sonja in their bedroom. "They are into each other." Chris said walking in.

"I would say they probably already slept together."

"What makes you say that?" He gave her a puzzled look.

"How they were together. He was acting to her like you do with me. You came out and checked on us girls several times. each time touching me in some small way. Pride did the same but with meri. Squeezed her shoulder, rubbed her back, or their hands brushed. Then just now the four of us talking and they were sitting as close as they could get. Their hands not visible from our side of the table. If I had to bet they were holding hands."

"Then I guess you need to plan a day with Brody and get the details." Chris told her as he backed her towards their bed. He leaned in and kissed her gently, teasing her mouth open for his. He pulled her tight against him and grinned into her kiss when she moaned his name.

XXXXXX

They got called in for a case the next afternoon. They noticed the car Brody had driven over last night outside but didn't see Brody at all. King was more upbeat than usual especially with a case starting. For lunch he made food which wasn't unusual but then he took a huge plate up to his room to eat.

"How do we prove it though? It's not like we can go barge in." Chris asked after they watched him disappear upstairs.

"I'll call her and set up that girls day. Listen for her phone. You know she had ring tones for all of us." She said pulling her phone out of her pocket.

"What are you two doing?" Gregorio asked walking in. They shushed her and listened for the ringing to start, when it did they grinned at each other. It was quickly silenced and the call was sent to voicemail.

"I was calling to setup a girls day..." Sonja started when chris took the phone and added, "but now we are just gonna ask, why y'all hiding?" He hung up and she looked at him shocked.

"Why did you do that?" Sonja snapped stealing her phone back. At the same time Gregorio asked, "whose hiding what?"

"Think about it city mouse. If we can tell so can others, so either it has been going on a while and they are getting sick of hiding or they are new and not sure if they should hide or not. You voted for not new last night remember. I was just giving them a push."

Pride came up behind chris a frown on his face. "Who says they needed a push?"

"Someone that is immensely happy he took a leap or two." Chris answered beaming at Sonja.

"Well maybe some people are more private than you two?"

Chris shrugged, "I guess that's possible. But they still could have told certain people something."

"Maybe they hadn't had anything to tell at the time?"

Gregorio watched the conversation for a while before walking away realizing that she wasn't going to get anywhere with these people, not today at least.

When she was gone pride looked at Sonja then nodded his head toward the stairs. Looking surprised she got up and went over giving him a questioning look. At his nod she went upstairs and knocked on his door. Brody opened it beamed at her, tugged her inside, and hastily shut the door behind Sonja. She took care to keep the door quiet though.

They hugged before sitting on the couch. "Ok so dish." Percy told her.

"So when pride told us about the leave I was originally going to go to the beach. I was depressed I had let him in and that he turned out to be a terrorist. Dwayne wouldn't let me though. He asked me to go on tour with him. I went thinking he was just trying to keep me safe from myself. And he was but we got close. The last night of your leave we finally slept together. And let me tell you he is amazing!"

She laughed at the face Percy made. "Please, you are one to talk. you are getting married to chris." She waived away the protest she could see Percy getting ready to say, "But anyway. I wasn't ready to come back here both the city and work, hell even pride himself. I went to the beach then to think, wrap my head around everything. I finally was able to say goodbye to Emily and not feel like I was letting her down, that I had missed something. I realized the Russo never really had me dooped. The way he acted from the beginning had me suspicious of him." She paused thinking.

"I kept him close because something felt off. I shouldn't have slept with him but without that we wouldn't have known it was him. Then there was pride. I mean I had slept with my boss! And I wanted to do it again." She smiled ruefully at herself. "That probably took me the longest to deal with honestly. To move pride from the friend and boss category in my brain to more. But then did he want more? I freaked myself out about coming back and finding that last bit out."

"Who told you about chris getting married?" Sonja asked curious who hadn't known it was her he was marrying.

"Gibbs, he probably left out it was you on purpose. He is crafty. He knew I would come down and see chris and find out about the girl. if I had known it was you I don't know if I would have come. Seeing pride last night." She paused smiling, "I think it was the best thing that could have happened. Don't let him be grouchy, I at least needed a push. So tell chris thanks."

"Are you back for good? Or at least going to be here for the wedding?"

"Not for good right now. I have to finish what I was doing away before I can come back for good. Yeah I'll be here for the wedding. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"So what were you doing away?"

"I have been working out of D.C. And I have some open cases to finish."

"So if you are going to be dating the boss do you plan on coming back to work here?"

"I'm honestly not sure I could not work if I was here. I couldn't let him leave me every day knowing he could be in danger and not have me there to back him up. Away in D.C. Was hard enough."

"I know how you feel. Until pride found us out I wouldn't let chris tell anyone and he wanted to. Because I was afraid if it got back to pride he would have to split us up. Gregorio is good and Sebastian is learning but I would only trust pride more than myself with Chris's life."

"We didn't really get to talk about you guys. How did you keep it from him and how did he find out?"

Sonja told her the whole story starting back at the beginning.

"Babies huh?" Brody asked laughing when Sonja finished.

"Yeah yeah laugh it up. I'm not the only one having sex now. they could be in your future too, you know?"

That shut Brody up, but she smiled, she didn't panic. "I think a little pride running around would be cute."

She said that just as pride poked his head in to get Sonja. "Hey now, girls that's a little fast don't you think?"

"She laughed at me for panicking about babies when Chris's mom left. I just explained that I'm not the only one having sex. Now she could have one too. She just reacted differently than I did. And if I could defend myself, I don't panic about the idea anymore."

"I'm sure chris will be happy to hear that. But now we have to get back to the case. Want to join us this time?" He asked looking at meri.

Gregorio came back just in time to see meri leaving pride's room. "Not you guys too! What is with this place? Is there something in the water?"

"Relax, Gregorio. They started before your time. Maybe whatever was in the water has passed?" Sonja teased. Chris gave her raised eyebrows and she nodded to his questioning look making him smile.

"If you were trying not to have us know you were here meri you shouldn't have left your car right outside. Or found a way to eat without pride taking you a plate." Chris teased giving her a hug. "Now Gregorio, this is who truly called mine and Sonja's relationship before it started. She dubbed me Sonja's work husband years ago."

Chris and Sonja went to pick up a suspect. It went bad though and shots were fired nearly as soon as they opened the doors of the truck. She saw chris go down and she couldn't breathe. Her heart was hammering in her ears as she sighted the gun fire leaving the house and returned fire. The gun fire from the house stopped and she yelled into her mic "agent down, agent down! Send a bus!"

No longer caring if the suspect got away or not she raced around the truck to chris. She dragged him to the rear of the truck out of sight of the shooter if they were still in the house. Chris was unconscious and the side of his head was bleeding. She toor off her coat and used that to try and keep pressure on the wound.

"Chris, baby, you have to wake up. Come on country mouse you can't leave me!" Her voice broke, "you can't leave me like everyone else. Please baby wake up." She was in full blown panic attack mode when the EMTs and backup arrived.

"Sonja I need you to tell me what happened." Pride tried as he dragged her away from chris. She wasn't letting the EMTs get to him and he needed their help. she acted like she couldn't even hear him. Tears were streaming down her face and she was rocking slightly. "Sonja, come on, I need your help here for chris. Can you tell me what happened?"

"We pulled up, opened the doors of the truck. we were fired on. Chris went down before we could even draw weapons. I returned fire. The gun fire from the house stopped then. I called agent down. I didn't go investigate. I went to chris and pulled him behind the truck so we would be out of the line of sight in case they were still in the house. I tried to stop the bleeding," she looked at him then, she had been staring at her hands. She lifted her hands showing him she was covered in his blood. "So much blood pride." She added before going back to staring at her hands and rocking.

When she nearly missed getting in the ambulance with chris pride got worried about her mental health. He had seen her have a panic attack before but chris was always the one to help her. He pulled her to her feet and dragged her towards the ambulance. "You need to hold it together a little while longer Sonja. Get chris to the hospital. Call us with any news, we will be there as soon as we can." He helped her inside letting them know this was the downed agents fiancé.

Gregorio, Sebastian, and Brody had breached the house when they got there. Brody radioed then, "suspect down, send in the EMTs. Rest of the house is clear."

XXXXXX

Sonja paced in the waiting room. The rest of the people waiting gave her a wide berth. she was covered in blood and looked angry. A nurse came over to her, "ma'am were you hurt too? You have a lot of blood on you."

Percy shook her head. So the nurse tried a different tact, "how about we get these close off for evidence then? And you can clean up? You won't be able to see him like this." Percy nodded still not saying anything.

The nurse stayed in the room while she changed looking to verify this agent wasn't hurt too. When Percy took off her shirt the agent saw it, she had a graze on her upper arm, more than likely just needed cleaned and stitched up. She gave Percy scrub pants and a shirt but when Percy went to put the shirt on she had to stop her and show her her own arm. "Let me get a doc to look at this and get you fixed up first, ok?"

When she was stitched up Percy was led to an operating room scrub area so she could clean her hands and arms of the blood and it would go with the hospital waste. The same nurse stayed with her the whole time. When she was done she was lead back out to the waiting room. Doc wade was there and pulled Percy into her arms. "Oh honey, chris is a fighter."

"He wasn't after Savannah died." Was all she said. She paced again, the panic welling close to the surface. She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold it in. She knew even now she wasn't doing a good job.

"Family of agent Lasalle?" A doctor finally said when coming into the room. Percy whipped around startling the doctor.

"How is he? Can I see him?" Her voice was cracking but she couldn't help it.

"He's out of surgery, he cracked his skull but it was really just a graze. The bigger issue was he was bleeding internally," Percy's knees gave out then and doc wade had to catch her. "which we have stopped now. We won't know until he wakes up if there was any damage done. Right now we have him in a light coma to let the surgery area heal." She let out a strangled cry. "You should be able to sit with him as soon as he is situated into his own room."

"She really shouldn't be left alone. I'm a doctor can I sit with her when she is allowed in? She's in shock and having a panic attack." Doc wade explained as Percy cried openly in her arms.

The nurse from earlier came in and spoke quietly to the doctor. He nodded and she left. "We did some blood work on miss Percy here when we discovered the graze on her arm. She's pregnant. We have to get her calmed down this level of stress could make her loose the baby." He was talking to Loretta but Percy heard him.

"We... we are having a baby?" She asked, tears still falling down her face, but she stood back up on her own two feet. She kept her arm around Loretta's shoulders though needing the support. Her panic attack evaporated with that happy thought.

"Yes, miss Percy, you are pregnant. Any idea how far along?"

She shook her head. "I missed my period this month but I thought it was the stress of planning the wedding." Then she thought about it, "no I missed last month too."

"Then let's get you over to the obs for a check up. When you are done you can tell your fiancé all about it. He should be in his room by then."

Percy turned to Loretta. "Go be with chris please. I'll be ok, I have to be for our peanut." They shared a look before Loretta nodded.

"If you wait here ma'am I'll send a nurse to take you to him. This way miss Percy."

She had them take pictures of their peanut and recorded the heart beat on her phone for chris when he woke up. She knew he would want them.

"Congratulations Sonja. I'll give you a script for some prenatal vitamins and recommend you contact your own doctor to setup a follow-up appointment. You appear to be almost out of the first trimester. I would say maybe 11 or 12 weeks along."

A nurse was waiting to take her to Chris's room when she was done. She walked in and her legs nearly buckled seeing chris hooked up to all the tubes and wires. She wobbled as the nurse caught her arm giving her a concerned look.

She walked right over to him though and started talking. "Hey country mouse, so I have some news. We are going to be parents! I got some pictures for you. And here listen." She played the heartbeat on her phone for him. She left it play on repeat finding the sound of Chris's heart monitor beeping and the baby's fluttering beat soothing. She was holding his hand. "Oh god did anyone call his mom, Cade, or Adelaide? His siblings are still in town..."

"I'll call them dear you just sit here with chris. Talk to him, they say people in comas can hear their loved ones talk to them."

"No, I should call them. Can I borrow your phone? I don't want to turn mine off."

Cade and Adelaide joined them in less than 10 minutes. Later Cade left to get their mother from the airport. Lorretta left the room when his mom came in, giving them some space. Annette paused when she entered the room hearing a familiar noise, but not understanding it in her sons room. Then she saw Percy's phone out in a play screen.

"Kids can I talk to Sonja a second?" Cade and addie left looking sadly at their brother. "When did you find out?"

Sonja gave her a confused look.

Gesturing at the phone she added, "that is a baby's heartbeat. When did you find out? And does anyone else know?"

Tears in her eyes Sonja answered, "a few hours ago. They did some blood work when they gave me stitches." She shook her head, "only Loretta, she left when you came in. She was with me when I found out. I told chris but I'll have to tell him again when he wakes up..."

His mom came over and gathered her into a hug. "Chris has a hard head. He'll make it through this. He would do anything to make it back to you." She stood then and went to get her kids, let them sit with their brother.

"I'm going to run and get you both some things. I bet the scrubs aren't very comfortable. And you'll want your phone charger."

"Can you get the sweats and 'bama shirt out of the top dresser drawer? Those are mine. Chris will need something too, but those he gave me the first time I spent the night on purpose."

"Sure baby, you need anything else?" She shook her head then remembered the vitamins she was told to start taking, she handed the script over without a word and his mom just nodded. "Sure, I'll talk to a nurse and see if the hospital can get these for you."

Percy fell asleep holding Chris's hand her head laying on top of their intertwined hands.

His mom came back and plugged in her phone for her. She was careful not to turn off the sound of the baby's heartbeat knowing Sonja found it comforting. Not wanting to wake her she placed the bag with her requested clothes next to her chair before taking up residence on the other side of chris. Cade and addie sat in chairs at the end of the bed, each just resting a hand on their brother.

Percy woke the next time the door opened it was pride. He too recognized the noise. She could see the confusion on his face until she motioned to her phone. She was happy doc wade hadn't told anyone. She had wanted to be able to tell chris first. Pride gave her raised eyebrows. Looking around at Chris's family all sleeping she sent him a text instead of answering him aloud.

\- I had a graze, when they stitched it up they did some blood work. I found out a little while after that. They had me see and ob, they did an ultrasound. I took a recording of the heartbeat knowing chris will hate that he missed it. -

Pride nodded at her in understanding before responding.

\- how are you feeling? How is the panic? -

She smiled at him.

\- panic stopped the moment I was told about the baby. my arm hurts and my back hurts from sleeping bent over on him, but I'll be ok as soon as he wakes up. -

He nodded.

\- anyone else know about the baby? -

\- doc wade was with me when I found out and Annette figured it out the same way you did. I wanted chris to be the first one to know. -

He nodded again and came to stand behind her. He rubbed her shoulders trying to be comforting. He shifted the bag next to the chair on accident making her notice it. She grabbed it and hugged the shirt to her. She jumped up and ran to the bathroom. She came back out in her lounge clothes and pride understood her reaction to the bag. She wanted to feel closer to chris and these were obviously his clothes.

Before she could sit again he motioned her to the hallway since she was already up. In the hall he gave her a hug.

"I just wanted to talk to you a minute. We cased the house. It appears that there was only the one person there. You got him by the way. One hell of a shot, busted his knee up. He is going to have to have it replaced. They only had one surgical team here so they handled chris first then another life saving surgery was needed. So he had to wait as his wasn't life threatening. They just took him back into surgery now." She just nodded grim satisfaction on her face. "Call if you need anything ok? Anything at all, even if its ice cream and pickels." She laughed then, before noticing Brody walking towards them.

"Why would she need ice cream and pickles?" Brody asked then her eyes got huge and she looked over her friend. "Are you...?" Sighing Percy nodded. "Not happy about if?" Brody asked seeing her expression.

"I just found out and I wanted chris to be the first one to know. You are now the fourth person to know before him." She explained.

"Awe honey, I'm so sorry!" She said grabbing Percy into a hug. She held on letting Percy cry into her shoulder. When she stopped shaking and pulled back Percy just silently went back into the room and resumed her vigil.

"I'm not sure even the baby will be enough to pull her through if he doesn't make it." She told pride. He nodded and held her from behind as they watched their friends, one lying in a coma the other holding his hand desperate that he wake up.

She had started having morning sickness, and was having a hard time not telling everyone why she was sick. they were so worried that they started asking the hospital staff to check her out. The first time they cleared out and a doctor came in. She explained what was wrong and why she hadn't told anyone. He just nodded and walked out never even getting close to her.

XXXXXX

It was nearly a week before chris started to wake up. At first she didn't know what had woken her until she felt it again. He squeezed her hand. She sat up and his eyes were open. She hit the call button knowing they needed to tend to him. She stood and moved back out of the way as they removed some of the tubes from him. When they finally left she moved back next to the bed and took his hand again tear streaming down her face.

"Hey city mouse," he started and she almost leaned in to kiss him but he added, "where's Savannah?" He was looking around the room.

Her mouth fell open and the tears ran fast down her cheeks. She bolted from the room forgetting her phone. She ran past pride in the hall. "Sonja what...?" He tried to ask her. Her sob was the only answer he got as she raced away. He went after her not knowing what was wrong. He caught her as she nearly made it outside. "Whoa, Percy what is wrong?"

"He's awake..." she sobbed.

"Why is that bad Sonja? We have been waiting for a week for him to wake up." He asked as he moved them back into the waiting room.

"He... he asked... he asked for Savannah." She finally got out through her sobs.

His mom and siblings came in just in time to hear that. Cade took her from pride and held her in a tight hug. "Hush little sister. He cracked his skull, they said they wouldn't know the damage until he woke up. Memory loss isn't permanent. You guys can get through this."

"I'm pregnant, Cade. I found out when he was in recovery from the surgery. What if he doesn't regain his memory in time... hell we live together. If he doesn't remember that he won't want me there." She was sobbing and disturbing the waiting room.

The nurse that had told her she was pregnant came over and said, "miss Percy you need to calm down. This isn't good for the baby."

"Neither is the father not even knowing his former girlfriend is dead and that we are a engaged now." She snapped.

"If you can't calm down we will have to give you something. We'll have to admit you to watch the baby. You won't be able to see the father at all."

In the end she couldn't calm this panic attack, she was hyperventilating by the time they got her into her own room. Hooked to her own monitors and a sedative into her. Tears still streamed down her face but her heart rate was normal as was her blood pressure and her oxygen levels. Loretta and Brody sat with her holding her hands.

XXXXXX (back in Chris's room after she ran out.)

Chris sat there puzzled by Percy's actions, and his own reactions to her running out crying. He wondered where everyone else was. If Percy had been here then so would the rest of the team right? And wouldn't they have called his family?

Nearly an hour after she had run out pride came into his room. He looked grim and the relieve chris felt at seeing him evaporated. His heart felt like it had stopped when she ran from him crying and he was confused.

"Pride, what's up with Percy?" He asked concerned for his partner.

Before he could answer his mother stormed in giving him angry eyes before unplugging Percy's phone and taking it and the charger away. She didn't even say a single word to him. What was wrong?

"Pride, what...?"

"do you remember what happened?"

"No..." he hesitated but his head hurt too much to think.

"What is the date?" Pride asked. When chris answered he just shook his head and went to talk to the doctors.

"He remembers us, knows who we are but not the context of this date. I asked him if he knew the date and he told me the date we found his former girlfriend dead. Is he going to remember? Because his fiancé is pregnant and more than a little traumatized that he doesn't remember they are a couple or that Savannah is dead. They had to admit her and give her a sedative to calm her down so she wouldn't hurt the baby by being so upset."

"Memories are a tricky thing, unfortunately. It's best not to force them. So you can't tell him what happened but you could tell him the real date and that a lot has changed since then. He's going to be here for a little while still. It would help if his fiancé could stay with him as much as possible but she has to think of the baby first. I'm sure that once he does remember them together that if she lost the baby because of his memory loss they would have a hard time dealing."

Nodding pride went back into Chris's room.

"Pride what is going on?" Chris demanded.

"Chris, you have been in a coma for about a week. You were grazed by a bullet that cracked your skull. It has been years since the date you told me it was and a lot has changed. I wanted to talk to your doctor about the memory loss before I said anything to you. Sorry for just leaving. The doctor said no telling you what happened and no trying to force memories. They will come back when they come back."

"Where is savannah and what was wrong with Percy and mom?"

"I can't answer any of that."

"Ok so the perp that shot me. Did you get him?"

"Yeah Sonja shot his knee from outside the house. All she had to aim at was the direction of the bullets being fired at you two. He made it through surgery to replace his knee and is in jail waiting trial."

Chris's heart squeezed hearing Sonja was shot at, but he didn't know why. "Is Sonja ok? I mean she was in here with me so she couldn't have been hurt as badly as I was, right?."

"She had a graze on her upper arm. got a few stitches, and has been in here with you since then."

"What was that playing on her phone? I thought it was one of my monitors until momma took it away. Where did she go by the way?"

"That's for Percy to tell you. And your mom is probably with her now. They had to admit her."

"What? why? I thought you said it was just a graze? And why would my momma be with Percy and not me?"

"Because you are a hard head and you can figure this out." His sister snapped at him coming into the room.

"You can't tell him anything he doesn't remember." Cautioned pride.

"The doctor came and talked to us. Momma sent me to sit with hard head here until he remembers. Go check on her, she wanted an update."

Chris was getting pissed, why were they all so worried about Percy when he had spent a week in a coma? He remembered then her having a panic attack at his house and helping her calm down. He couldn't remember why she had the panic attack or why she was at his house.

"Is she having another panic attack?" He asked just as pride got to the door.

"You remember the panic attacks?" He asked turning back.

"There was more than one? She was at my house I don't remember why but I can see her panicking. I helped her calm down I know but I can't remember how."

"That must have been the first one. I know of four that she has had sort of recently besides today. And yes she was panicking. When they couldn't calm her down the staff gave her a sedative and admitted her for monitoring."

Chris looked pained. "I caused these panic attacks didn't I? How? Why? Can they monitor her in here?" He didn't know why but his heart was in his throat. He hated knowing he caused this. He wanted her close to him. He felt the urge to hold her. But that was wrong he was with Savannah.

His own monitors started spiking and a nurse rushed in. "That's enough no more talking for today. You can't push your memory. I'm going to give you something to help you sleep."

"Wait, please. Can I see her?" He was looking at pride. He didn't know why but he had to see her.

Pride looked at the nurse. "She was already sedated so even though she is in better condition to be moving around I don't think that's possible."

"Do you think that's a good idea I mean with everything that's going on?" Pride just nodded. It took a while to get chris unhooked enough to get him into a wheel chair.

As soon as he was ready pride wheeled him down the hall to the room Percy was in. His sister went in first and explained what was happening before opening the door and holding it so pride could wheel chris in.

She looked so tiny in the bed. He wanted to crawl in beside her and hold her tight. The strangely fast noise was here but this time not coming from her phone. It was one of the monitors she was hooked to. He followed the wire until it disappeared under a shirt of his that she was wearing. And suddenly he remembered giving that shirt to her and why she was at his house nearly in the middle of the night.

"Savannah's dead isn't she?" He asked the room. Slowly everyone but Sonja who was sleeping nodded. And he meant everyone. Her sisters were here, he knew who they were but not remembering having met them. His whole family. The whole team including Gregorio who again he knew but didn't remember. Not knowing better he still counted Brody as team.

He kept staring at the wire hooked to the monitor that had the racing noise. "What is that monitor for?" He asked. He looked from face to face but no one answered him.

Then she said, "its monitoring my baby." She had listened to his soft question about Savannah. And she knew that she wanted to be the one to tell him about the baby even if she didn't tell him it was his.

His face fell then filled with jealousy. "Who?" he asked. She only smiled sadly at him. "I can't tell you country mouse."

He shook his head, "no tell me, who got you pregnant?" He flashed back then to her telling him she was raped. And his fury grew not realizing that the rape she had talked about was in the past.

She was crying and shaking her head. The rest of the room was glaring at him. From her sisters to his own mother. A nurse rushed in then. "I'm sorry you'll have to take him back to his room. He can't upset her like this it's bad for the baby."

Pride started rolling him out of the room when Percy finally answered. "You." She said it so softly he barely heard her.

"Me?" He asked in wonder putting his feet down and not letting pride move him another inch. "Me?" He asked again.

"Yes you," she answered tear still pouring down her face.

"Shh, shh, baby. Please don't cry." He crooned at her trying to get to her. He finally got pride to help him and the people in the room cleared space next to her bed for his wheel chair.

He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. She let out a sob and moved his hand to her stomach. He brought up his other hand and brushed away her tears. He looked back at their hands on her stomach and noticed something else. His grandmothers ring. Stunned he stared a moment before looking up and meeting his mothers eyes asking silently if this was real. She nodded and he felt tears on his own face. Frustrated he couldn't remember them together. But knowing that he loved her.

He looked up at her, "were we engaged before or after the baby?" He asked her.

"You don't remember?" She asked and he shook his head and tilted her hand to show her the ring he knew.

"Before, I found out about the baby when you were in surgery. They did blood work when they stitched up my graze wound."

The nurse tried again to get him to go back to his own room but he wouldn't budge and now that he wasn't distressed and neither was she the other people in their room were no longer trying to help.

Pride took the nurse aside and spoke with her a few minutes. She nodded and walked off. She returned about an hour later. "We are going to take you both to a bigger room so you can be together ok?"

Even in the bigger room chris refused to stop touching her so they pushed the beds together for them. Instantly he cradled her in his arms and laid his head on hers. Percy relaxed into sleep in moments feeling safe again like she hadn't since she saw chris get shot. Everyone but pride had gone home to get some rest. It had been a long week and they all needed it. But he wanted someone here in case they needed something.

He sat outside their door and heard chris say, "I love you Sonja Percy, my city mouse. I don't remember falling but I know I love you with all my heart. When you ran out of the room crying my heart broke and I didn't know why. When you told me you were having a baby but didn't say who the father was all I could see was red. I was remembering you telling me what happened to you. I thought that the baby was a result and I wanted to kill the man. When you said the baby was mine I wanted to shout to everyone I was going to be a dad. Then I saw the ring and I couldn't wait to be your husband. I'm sorry I hurt you today. I'm sorry I don't remember us. But I want to make new memories with you, with our baby."

Pride thought she was still asleep when she didn't answer right away. "I love you too, Christopher Lasalle, my country mouse. It's ok if you don't remember I'll tell you all about us some day. That happened when I was much younger and my daddy beat you to it. You didn't mean to hurt me. You didn't know. We knew you might have some memory damage I guess I just couldn't imagine you not remembering us. I'm ok, the baby is ok, you are ok. We will be ok too. Yes to many many new memories. So next time keep your hard head down when in the line of fire. We need you in our lives."

XXXXXX

Pride called Brody to spell him in the morning. He called all the rest of the people in their lives together at their house.

"So I had an idea last night at the hospital." He started. "This is such a small place for a growing family. And there is no where for a grandma or an aunt or uncle to stay if they wanted to visit the baby."

Everyone was on board. Pride went and got permits while Cade and Chris's old partner Moreno went and bought supplies. Sebastian and Patton worked up a design to add onto the house and deck. Even adding a roof to a portion of the deck knowing they loved to be outside.

In the end they drew up adding a master suite with ensuite bathroom and walk in closet and another bedroom to be the nursery.

Chris ended up having to stay in the hospital for a week and Sonja refused to leave his side. The only thing he left her for any length of time for was an MRI, and since she was pregnant she couldn't go near it with him.

Gregorio drove them home when he was finally released but stopped before turning into his drive. "Pride says close your eyes we have a surprise for you."

When they didn't comply she put the car in park and just stared at them in the rear view mirror.

"She's grouchy," chris stage whispered to Sonja, "has she always been like this?"

"A bit of a know it all too." She answered grinning evilly.

"Be nice you two." Pride chided through the open window making Percy jump.

"Hey, no scaring the baby momma." Chris chided back.

"Sorry Percy, I honestly didn't mean to startle you. Now close your eyes both of you." He ordered and got in the front seat, keeping his eyes on the couple in the back as Gregorio drove the rest of the way to their house.

He helped first Sonja then chris out of the car still not letting them open their eyes. "My house burnt down didn't it? And you guys are just being cruel?" Chris muttered.

"No, it was still standing last I saw it." Percy answered him.

"Yeah but that was a couple of weeks ago. I mean something could have happened while we were in the hospital."

"Nothing smells burnt, chris." She told him. "It actually smells like paint."

"Well if you two are just going to stand there and figure it out before we let you open your eyes you might as well open them." Brody grumped at them.

First they noticed all of the people. People from all different agencies they had worked for or together with over the years, Their families, and of course their team. Then chris noticed the construction debris and zeroed in on the house. He gasped and started walking forward. Percy holding his hand went along until she too could see what he had seen.

Their little house was twice as big as it had been. It had a fresh coat of paint and stain on the outside, and what looked like a new roof. Chris pulled her inside and walked through the old part of the house, finding new doorways. He went into one and found a green nursery filled with large painted animals on the walls. Taped to the door was a card. Inside it was a gift card for a baby store. Next they found a huge bedroom it had its own bathroom and a giant closet. Taped to this door was a card with a gift card for a furniture store. Wanting a moment to breathe and take it all in they stepped out on the deck. They found the covered addition to the deck and a new built in outdoor kitchen.

He held her as she cried into his chest. His own eyes misty. When she finished he kissed her. The first time since he woke up and she melted against him. "I asked you out here didn't I?" He asked into her hair, holding her against his chest, and resting his head on top of hers. Loving how well she fit him. She nodded against his chest.

He started singing to her and swaying with her in his arms. He didn't remember the song but the words poured out and she had fresh tears in her eyes.

[So I'm gonna love you

Like I'm gonna lose you

I'm gonna hold you

Like I'm saying goodbye wherever we're standing

I won't take you for granted 'cause we'll never know when

When we'll run out of time so I'm gonna love you

Like I'm gonna lose you

I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you]

"What's the song baby?" He asked her wondering how he knew it.

"It's the song we picked to dance to at the wedding." She answered.

Smiling he sang her the whole song holding her close. Eventually their welcome party got curious and found them on the deck him singing to her as they danced. Slowly people in the crowd started singing along. First pride and laurel. But soon nearly everyone there was singing their song watching them dance. Brody hating her voice pulled out her phone and video taped instead. Starting with chris and Sonja then panning around to the singing crowd.

When pride started the song again Brody started a new video talking to it this time. "Your parents love you little one. See this, your daddy just got bumped on the head and didn't even remember mommy, but he knows he loves her, and that she loves him. Look at all these people that love them too. We can't wait to meet you little one. You will be very loved." Brody would give them the first copy at the wedding and the second when the baby was born she decided.

When the song died out again chris kissed her gently tears in his eyes. she opened hers and he saw the answering tears in hers. They looked around at the people around them beaming at them. Chris being a smart ass pulled her into a bow. She smacked his arm when he let her up.

"I don't even know where to start..." chris started, "thank you..." she tried, "but that doesn't seem enough. how did you pull this off so quickly?"

Chris leaned against the rail holding her back to his front resting his head on hers. His arms wrapped around her so that he was holding her belly protectively. She laid her hands over his and closed her eyes for a moment. She was finally letting herself believe they would be ok.

Cade stepped forward. "It was Dwayne's idea, he got us all the permits. Then Sebastian and Patton drew up the plans. People kept hearing about what happened and what we were doing so each day we had more and more help. We had so many donations of time and money we actually got done faster than we thought and had money left over to let you guys pick out furniture to decorate your new rooms."

Pride moved up then. "I know y'all are attached to this place, and when I heard you were expecting I came up with the idea. Added on two rooms so you had an extra room for visiting grandmas or aunts and uncles. Or more kids in the future."

Sonja and chris went through the crowd hugging or shaking hands with everyone there. A few had to tell chris who they were and he was getting frustrated about it. She pulled him into a kiss "it's ok baby, you are doing so great, it just takes time." She whispered as she released him.

Chris noticed pride walking through the crowd holding Brody's hand. Chris stopped Sonja and asked, "when did that happen?"

"We suspected the night before you got shot and confirmed it that morning." She answered. "I never got a chance to tell you this so it's not spoiling any memory. Apparently she went touring with him when we were on leave. The last night they slept together freaked out and bolted. She has been working out of D.C. Trying to clear her head about a lot of things but mostly finally saying goodbye to Emily's memory and sleeping with pride."

XXXXXX

A few weeks, and a few more regained memories later.

He stood in front of their friends and family and wasn't nervous. Didn't they say that this part was nerve racking? He was wearing a white shirt, pants, and shiny shoes with a royal blue vest and tie.

Cannon in D on cello started playing and the curtains at the other side of the roof parted. Adelaide walked in beside Patton. She was in a knee length silver dress with a halter neck line, an open back, a simple soft flowy skirt, and Her shoes were strapy silver flats. He was wearing a silver vest and tie over a black shirt and black suit pants, and shiny black shoes. Next followed Camila and Cade, then Lucia and Pride.

The curtains in the back fell and the song changed. This time was 1000 years played on piano and cello with no vocals. The curtains parted again and there was Sonja. She was beaming on the arm of her father. He wore a gray shirt and pants with royal vest and tie and gray shiny shoes. But chris didn't notice that. His eyes were glued on Sonja. She wore a floor length royal blue dress with a strapless sweetheart neck line and an empire waist hiding her little baby bump. The skirt bellowed and flowed as she walked making the gems on it wink in the candle light that lit the path down the isle to him. Her hair was in loose braids on the side to the back of her head where they met for a bun of curls. Mixed in were gems making her look like she was sprinkled with fairy dust.

He didn't realize he had held his breath until her father shook his hand before placing her hand in his. At her touch he started breathing again. She just felt right, like coming home.

They barely heard the officiant, staring into each other's eyes, and beaming at each other. Pride handed him the ring and he followed along with the officiant as he gave her the ring. She did the same when it was her turn. Then they combined their sand blue and silver making a beautiful vase. The the words he had been waiting for all day "you may kiss the bride."

Grinning he dipped her and gave her a deep kiss, not wanting to come up for air. He did finally release her so the officiant could say, "The new Mr. And Mrs. Christopher Lasalle!"

The next bit was a blur of introductions and food. Which they barely got to touch. Then it was time for their first dance. Chris noticed pride walk over to a piano and was surprised when he started playing their song. Laurel followed singing along with her father. Slowly the crowd joined in while chris and Sonja stood there and stared at the people around them. Pride nodded at chris and finally he pulled Sonja into his arms. He tucked her in close to him laying her ear against his heart. One of her hands teased the hair at the back of his neck. He rested his head on hers. He held her other hand in one of his and held her against him tightly with the other pressed against her lower back. They danced together eyes closed feeling the love surrounding them. He started singing at the end of the song and she joined him tilting her head back to look him in the eyes as they sang.

She danced with her daddy next to I loved her first. she was crying before the end of the song as he held her tight knowing he wouldn't be able to again after tonight. Chris danced with his mom to an acoustic version of simple man.

Chris rescued Sonja from a few of her old friends trying to get her to do a shot. "Sorry, but she can't drink for another few months." He said sweeping her away to the dance floor for another dance, he was laughing at the shock on their faces. She smacked him when she had a chance and chided him for doing that.

"What? I want to tell everyone. You are mine and we are having a baby!"

"Everyone?" She asked, "I think we could probably pull that off. But you might want to hear what I learned at my appointment this morning. Since you couldn't go only Brody knows, well and probably pride by now."

"What?" He asked excited and a little sad that he missed the appointment.

She pulled him down and whispered into his ear. Chris jumped in the air and shouted, which cause the crowd to look at him. He ran up to the band and explained he needed the microphone.

"We have an announcement to make. Some of you already know part of this. When I was in the hospital a few weeks ago Sonja got some news. Today we learned something we'd like to share." He paused grinning happily and giving her a quick kiss. "We are expecting a boy!" The crowd around them broke into applause.

She danced with her dad a few more times before hugging him tight knowing pride had to take him away soon. "I love you daddy." She told him. Chris came over and shook his hand. "Thank you sir."

Her dad scowled at chris. "You treat my baby right, you hear me. You're already on my shit list for getting her pregnant before you were married. But she is happy. You keep her that way and we won't have any problems." Chris just nodded, not ever planning on making her unhappy with him.

Her sisters came over and hugged him too. Their mom came over and spoke with him but neither showed affection toward the other. Sonja hugged him again before pride came over and said it was time for him to go. He had a transport van ready downstairs to get him back to the prison. Gregorio volunteered to ride back with him since pride was best man. She came over to them changed out of her dress and ready for the ride.

"I love you baby girl, don't forget to come visit. I want to see my grandson."

She smiled, "I love you too daddy..." she started but chris cut her off.

"Sir, our children will always know their grandfather. We would never keep you out of their lives." Her dad patted his back, his eyes slightly damp.

She and chris snuck off not long after that. They went home for the night. They had an early flight the next morning to head to the keys. Sonja laughed as he teased and tickled her before talking to her belly.

"You listen to your daddy. Your mommy is the best, bravest, most beautiful woman in the world. She can be grumpy but she will always love you and so will daddy." He sang my wish to her belly.

She caressed the side of his face as he laid on her stomach. Loving how excited he was. When he was done he tilted his head up so he could look up at her. "We can still... ah... right? I mean it won't hurt the baby?" He asked blushing.

Laughing she nodded and grabbed his hand to pull him up for a kiss. "Yes chris it's safe," when he gave her a look she rolled her eyes, "I asked ok, that's how I know."

They had decided to wait to be intimate until chris regained more of the memories of them or until after the wedding. He had regained some of them dating but not everything so he held out for her knowing it was important that she feel he loved her just as much as he had before he lost his memories.

XXXXXX

It took a while but eventually chris remembered everything that had happened during the time he lost.

Their baby boy was born a few months later. He was happy and healthy. They named him Matías Remy Lasalle after his grandfathers. Her dad cried when they came to the prison after Sonja and the baby were released from the hospital and told him the name. They named Pride and Brody godparents.

Pride and meri announced their own engagement not long after that. Percy went back to work but only desk duty so she was allowed to bring matías to work with her. She noticed Brody using the bathroom more and more frequently and the retching sounds that she was making. She smiled to herself that matías would have a friend to play with soon.

The end


End file.
